Never Alone
by halfkyuubikat
Summary: Sasuke took away his newborn son, Itachi, from the boy's mother Sakura without the knowledge she gave birth to twins. Ren and Itachi have never known each other, but Sakura's vow she gave to the boys at birth will lead them to each other again. Dark fic
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This is my first every fanfic! So if it sucks, please don't hurt my feelings….i have bad self esteem issues. This will have a pretty dark Sasuke in it, so if you want a fanfic with lots of love and cut cuddles and fluff, I suggest you look else where. It won't have any lemons in it either, just lots of violence. I plan on making a prequel about Sasuke and Sakura before these events and that story MIGHT have lemons in it…..maybe……._

_Disclaimer: Um I don't own Naruto…cause if I did Sasuke would have died a loooooong time ago…..-evillaugh-_

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I would have followed him to hell if he asked me to and with all he put me through, maybe I did.**_

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"Come on! You're almost finished. Just a little bit more!" the blonde haired medic said standing at the base of the bed, where a women was franticly pushing and breathing hard with short, raged breaths. The petite women had a large swollen belly that rippled every time the girl screamed in pain.

"I…..can't do….it!" the girl cried, tears flowing from her eyes. The two women were in a hospital room, with a white bed and a few machines beeping and reacting every time the pregnant woman went through a contraction. They were the only two present in room.

"Yes you can! Only a little bit more!" the blonde women shouted again.

"I can't! Tsuna-" the women stopped her speech when another round of pain hit her torso. She grunted and gasped as she gripped the bed sheets and grinded her teeth together as she pushed as hard as she could.

She felt her body relax and heard the sound of crying fill the room. She laid her back against the bed and let out a weak breath she didn't know she had been holding. She watched the blonde women take the bloody, newborn to a station and not a minute later return with the child wrapped in a blanket.

"It's a boy. A very pretty one at that; he has your eyes." The exhausted women lifted her head up and outstretched her arms to hold the child. As he was gently laid in his mother's arms, she gazed down in wonder. The small boy had his eyes closed, but she watched as they blinked open once before closing again and she saw a flash of green. He had black hair and his face more closely resembled his father, but she was there in his features. His forehead was just slightly too large.

A small giggle escaped her lips and she lovingly watched her child sleep in her warm, protecting arms. There she made a promise to the small child, which he would not know for quite a few years. A promise she vowed she would die to complete.

_You will never be alone; I will make sure of that. I'll protect you. Forever…_

Her train of thought was broken, when she heard the medic speak next to her. "What are you going to name him?" To the women holding the small child her arms, it was no question; she knew at once what his name would be.

"Ren. I think it's a beautiful name." the girl spoke fondly.

"Ren Haruno. Spring of water lilies. Yes, a beautiful name indeed." The girl looked up at the medic and a light smile escaped her lips before she let out a small grunt of pain, which came in reaction to the increasing pressure in her lower region. The medic held out her hands to take the child and after a moment's hesitation, she softly handed over her son.

He was gently laid down in a crib next to the hospital bed, before the medic turned around and smiled at the girl sweating on the bed.

"Well Sakura, I guess it's time for round two." The girl had started panting again, but she paused to glare at her master who was smirking at her.

"Tsunade!" she shouted before she focused once again on her contractions that hit her body.

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It's really painful to say goodbye to someone that you don't want to let go but it's even more painful to ask someone to stay if they never wanted to stay.

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"Please!" the girl begged holding onto her bleeding side. Blood oozed out between her fingers. "Don't please!" Tears rolled down her face and sobs broke in between her pleas. The man in front of her made no indication that he heard her and continued his walk toward the girl that was barley able to stand.

Her pink hair was just a little longer than her shoulder blades on one side while the other reached her lower back. Pieces of her hair laid scattered about the blood stained floor. She shook violently, her tears mixing with the blood on her face.

Her body was covered in cuts and knife wounds; the worst was the long and narrow stab wound that her small, shaking hand covered. Her shirt was torn in many places revealing the black bra underneath. Her lips quivered and she let out a small cry of pain. Her gaze did not look into the man's eyes, but instead looked at his lower face and lips. Her eyes only vaguely had fear in them. It mostly just anguish and suffering that filled her expression.

He continued to walk forward and then stopped ten feet in font of her. He said nothing and just stood there waiting for her pointless begs and cries to end. The scene around them was one of disaster. The ground was broken apart in multiple places and trees were broken into tiny bits. The village they were in was alight with flames. Screams and shrieks could be heard, from every direction.

The man wore a black coat with red patterned clouds covering it. His black hair blew in the sudden wind that carried the sound of death in it. He appeared to be completely uninjured, except for a small cut on his left cheek. He held a sword in his right hand and stared at the girl who was still whimpering some quiet cries and pleas.

Sakura stopped pleading and now took a very small step backwards in hopes of maybe being able to leave…in a flash of speed that she could not even begin to comprehend she felt a blow into the back that launched her forward. A small grunt escaped her lips. She hit the ground on her side and by the time she skidded to a stop she was at the feet of the man who seemingly had not moved an inch. The man that was responsible for the destruction of her village occurring right at this moment.

She didn't dare look up in fear of seeing his blood red eyes and capturing her in an inescapable genjustu. She didn't want to move and so she laid at the feet of the man in front of her. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity to her, ignoring the pain on her side, from her stab wound, she dimly got on her knees. She looked at his feet as she saw him lift his left leg up and make contact with her stab wound, throwing her backwards. This time she couldn't stop the scream of agony came from her lips.

Sakura could use her chakra to heal herself, but in fear of worse wounds to come, she decided to not use more of her precious chakra. The kick had caused her wound to open even more and the result was the large amount of her blood that spilled onto the floor. This time she found herself unable to get up.

She faded out of conciseness for a moment before the brief second of safety was broken when she felt something lift her up by her hair. Her eyes snapped open and she found herself looking straight into the red eyes that had the three rapidly spinning tomes in them.

She watched the lips of the man move and could only pick a few words come out of his mouth. "Go…….him……bring…..NOW!" She only blinked and tried to focus her mind on what he was telling her to do. But at the same time her heart knew what he wanted and it was destroying her on the inside.

Something hit her face and she managed to focus long enough to hear what he was saying. His voice was dark and dangerous. Not a hint of guilt or pain anywhere. Just cold and uncaring. The voice she recognized of a dead man.

"Go bring him to me Sakura. Bring my son to me now!" Her eyes grew wide and her heart felt a hollow pain in it. She gave a small gasp that held so many emotions that were inside her head. Pain. Hurt. Horror. Fear. Pain. Hate.

Her mind, now fully awake, struggled to make sense of everything. _He found out…He came for him…no…no…oh god no._

The hold on her hair was gone in a second and she fell to the ground with a loud thud. She looked up and one last time attempted to appease him and plead for her son. "Please Sasuke…..don-"

"Enough." he growled, his voice so full of venom she thought it alone could kill her. But then again it already had.

She didn't rise from the ground. Her body was shaking so badly she thought that an earthquake must be occurring at this very moment. Or that she was in some horrible nightmare and soon she would wake up to find this all a dream. Everything would never have happened. She would wake and the loud Naruto would complain about getting a boring mission, she would hit him and they would continue the day like any. Her eyes were closed and she almost made herself believe in the fake story.

But then her eyes opened and she saw the ground destroyed beneath her and her scarlet blood staining the forest floor. A sob caught in her throat and she opened her mouth to scream but no noise came out. Tears fell freely and pattered on the ground.

She rose on her feet slowly; her legs trembling so bad she didn't know how she even could manage to stand. She looked at him once before he vanished. She wasn't a fool. She knew he would never allow her to escape with her child. There was nothing she could do, but bring the only thing she viewed as important enough to live for to the monster. Like a sacrifice.

Her stomach churned and she wanted to vomit, but she was unable to do so. He was punishing her. In his own sick and horrible way he had found the way to make her suffer more than ever before. He couldn't get enough of her torment and anguish that resulted every time she had to look into his eyes.

So many times before he had left her broken. The day he left the village was the first time. Then it happened again when she watched helplessly as he almost killed her best friend. It repeated every time he chose the evil side instead of Konoha. Instead of the people that cared for him. She almost smiled bitterly at the memory.

A small green light illuminated from her fingers and hand that was pressed against her wounded side. Then she turned and limped away toward her home, which was located on the less busy side of the village. It must have been the only place that was now not under attack by Sound Ninja or up in flames. It had been rebuilt only two years ago, after the attack by Pein.

Tears poured down from her eyes, but she made no sounds. The silent but rapidly flowing tears made her eyes ache. Her heart felt dead. She felt that there was no reason to live again.

But she had to. That much she knew, as she ignored the flames and screams and walked onto the front steps of her house and then entered her home before shutting the door quietly behind her.

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A million words would not bring you back, I know because I've tried, neither would a million tears, I know I've cried.

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The boy looked at the small frame in his hands. It was a casual frame that was broken and the glass cracked to the point it would shatter if it was handled incorrectly. But it wasn't the appearance of the frame that made him confused; it was the picture that was inide it. He stared puzzling at the four people that looked back up at him.

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I'm holding on to something that used to be there hoping it will come back, knowing it won't.


	2. Chapter 2

_A/N: So in just one day, I had a lot of readers! Which made me pretty happy. I don't have any problems with getting criticism, but just don't say how much you hate it and everything. Because of the many people who read my story I spent most of the afternoon typing up the next chapter…I know I have no life. Just for clarification for the next few chapters it will go from the past to the future throughout the chapter. I hope it's not to confusing. _

_Discaimer: Me no owne Naruto..but how I wish I did!_

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**I cry because I know**  
**he doesn't feel the way I do.**  
**I cry because I think of**  
**how pathetic I am,**  
**and I cry because**  
**I think I'll be crying forever.**

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He was sitting in a small area that was covered in dust and barley held any light in the room. A small flashlight (**A/N: do they have flashlights there? I get confused with the things that the Naruto world has) **was in his hands and he gazed down at the broken picture frame.

Boxes of all different sizes were next to him, making the seemingly small attic even smaller in size. The boy himself was having trouble fitting in the tight space.

To him it was utterly puzzling. Why would a picture be thrown away into the dark space of the attic? The house he lived in was littered with different pictures in almost every possible place. Why would one be buried deep within the attic?

But the thing that was even more confusing was who the picture had been taken of.

Four people were in the picture. Three of which seemed like young teenagers. Around twelve or thirteen years of age. The third was an adult who he immediately recognized as his teacher Kakahi-Sensei. He wore the same stupid mask he did to this day.

The thing that confused him were the three students—he assumed by their age and headbands—that were standing in front of the old pervert.

Two were males standing on opposite sides of a kunochi ninja. One of them was blonde with blue eyes and had an angry expression and was glaring at the other and his hands were crossed over his chest.

The other had black hair and eyes and had a scowl on his face and was looking opposite of the camera and the other boy. Kakashi had his one visible eye closed and what looked like a grin on his covered face.

The girl had her eyes closed and a big smile on his face. But that wasn't had the boy's attention. The girl had pink, bubble gum hair. Pink. What kind of person has pink hair? It was such an annoying color. The boy snorted just at the thought of a girl like that.

That's when he recognized the spiky, blonde haired boy. At first he was too focused on the girl to notice the three parallel whisker-like marks on each cheek of the boy. But when he did he realized who it was.

The boys mouth opened in a small 'o' and he took in a sharp breath. It was pretty shocking to him and he was rarely ever shocked. The blonde haired boy was the Hokage.

So this was the Hokage's team. Kakashi was the Hokage's teacher too? The thing was though in all his life in the leaf village—all seven years—he had never seen that onyx eyed boy or the pink haired girl.

What had happened to them? Did they die? Or where they on a really long mission? But more importantly why would such a picture be in his attic?

Before he could even begin to comprehend all the questions in his mind he heard someone call from down stairs.

"Honey? Are you up in the attic? Dinners ready, so come down and eat."

"Coming Mom!" the boy shouted.

He took one last look at the picture and was about to throw it into a random box when he noticed something. He looked a lot like the black haired boy in the picture.

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**Because I never really had you at all**  
**I didn't think it would hurt this much to lose you**

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Sakura walked into the house, her mind blank and numb. After she closed the door, she placed her back to it and slid to the ground slowly. Her wound in the side now fully healed and she no longer felt pain in that area.

But just because the physical pain was gone, didn't mean the emotional pain had ended. Because it hadn't. It had gotten so much worse.

Her tears hadn't ceased the entire walk home through the burning village. They had gotten worse. Now secluded from the sight of all the eyes of dying souls, she could sob freely and loudly.

_Why! Why can't he leave me alone! Why must he take away what I love most!_

Her heart was in turmoil. She didn't want to give away her child. Her son. He was the most important thing in the world to her. She could give him away. Because that was what Sasuke was doing to her.

He could have just snatched her son away while the village was being attacked and then quietly leave. But he couldn't do that. He had to make Sakura suffer before he left. So by first causing her immense physical pain, he followed it up by forcing her to give her son away to him. He would make her hand over her life.

She hated him! So much. He would never let her be happy. Was this his enjoyment? Her never dying pain!

She sat with her back to the door for a while, but she knew she had to get up. He couldn't come to the house. It was her only chance to save her sons from him and his loneliness.

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**Every few nights or**  
**so you pop into my dreams,**  
**I just can't get rid of you like**  
**you got rid of me.**

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It was so dark here. No sun could be seen and no sound heard. His head turned in every direction in search of someone. Anyone.

He would even take the scary silver haired guy right about now.

He stood on the forest floor, covered in a dark, green—almost black—colored moss, that squished between his black sandals.

That was weird. Hadn't he been barefooted and going to bed. How did he end up in such a forest? How had he gotten dressed in his training outfit?

The trees around him were tall and had thick trunks that stretched high into the air. He lifted his head to look up, but saw nothing except for leaves and vines. He would never admit this freely to anyone, but he was terrified of the dark. Something about it sent shivers up his spine.

He looked around for any sign of his home, but there was nothing except for the trees and himself.

Fear crept up his skin. Without a second thought he took off running in a random direction, hoping it would lead him back home.

It felt like hours he ran in the internal night and his lungs screamed for air, but he kept running afraid if he stopped he would never get out of this dark forest.

Then just as the last of his hope was being washed away, he saw a bit of color in the distance completely different from all the other green and dark colors of the forest. He ran in that direction, some part of him telling he would not be alone any longer in the dark if he went there.

When he got closer he realized what color stood out from everything else. It was the color pink.

_Weird_ he thought.

But then he recognized the sight before him. In an open meadow a huge and bright cherry blossom tree stood tall and magnificent. The moon's light hitting it directly on top and alighting it with the silver color.

He stood just at the beginning of the meadow, frozen with his mouth wide and he stared at the beautiful tree.

He couldn't describe what he was feeling, but he knew he was safe now. He couldn't be hurt by whatever the dark had made him afraid of. He was safe.

Then he noticed a small figure standing against the bark of the tree. He hadn't noticed at first because the person blended in with the tree. The person had pink hair that matched those of the leaves.

The woman was beautiful. She had a petite figure that although could be thought of as weak was actually just graceful and majestic. He could not see her full face as she was gazing at the moon above her, but just a side view was all he needed to know of the beauty she held.

"Who are you?" the boy asked.

The women did not react at all to him and so he walked slowly and cautiously forward. Not because he was afraid of her, but he was scared she would be frightened of him and leave.

"Who are you?" he asked a second time.

He was close enough to see the single, wet streak slide down her face. She was crying.

He kept moving until he was only a few feet away from her and only then did she turn to look at him.

Her eyes were so filled with sadness, he felt as if his own heart was going to break just by looking into her eyes. Despite this however a smile came to her face and she spoke in a beautiful, graceful voice that dripped to the very core with love.

"I will never let you be alone, Itachi."

He stiffened at that. She knew his name. But how? As if to make him suffer some torture the vision of her started to fade.

"Who are you!" he shouted wanting an answer before she completely disappeared. The women just smiled at him. Her eyes were no longer sad, but filled with love and kindness. Just as the vision was almost completely gone he realized she had his same bright, emerald colored eyes.

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**Every time I see him all cool, calm and collected, I lose my breath, my heart starts pounding, and I am painfully aware that I am not over him and he is over me.**

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_A/N: So what do you think? Is it ok? I would love reviews! It would please me very much. More shall be reveled next chapter and Sasuke will return (just for all the fangirls and Sasu lovers…)_

_And if people are worried if Sakura is dead, she's not. _


	3. Chapter 3

_A/N: Wow. I'm in the writing mood this weekend. Usually I can never update so fast and frequently, but for some unknown cause I can this week. My story will usually only have a chapter or two updated every week. The school life for me is so busy and I play a sport, which means I barley have any time for me. I don't have an exact number of chapters but I think the 20 to 30 range is a good estimate. Anyways hope you enjoy the chapter! Also here are some notes:_

_Sakura was 18 when she gave birth_

_Sasuke took his son when he was 2 months old_

_Itachi and Ren are 7 years old in the present_

_Sakura and Sasuke are 25_

_Itachi and Ren are identical twins_

_Disclaimer: I have not and never will own Naruto. (*sobs*)_

_Warning:__ Violent situations in this chapter_

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**You'll never understand why I hurt so much**  
**because you're not the one who is crying,**  
**you're not the one who is left behind,**  
**you're not the one who loved too much,**  
**and you're not the one who is holding on to someone who is gone...**

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She opened the door to the house, a small, blue bundle cradled in her arms. She turned and closed the door and then adjusted her snoring son that had found himself in a deep sleep.

She brought him to her chest while she coed to him and her sad eyes looked at his peaceful face. She truly hoped that he would always be so innocent, even without her there to love him.

She remembered the promise she gave him at his birth. It had been only two months and she already found herself struggling to fulfill it.

_Am I really this weak?_

Despite all the times that her friends told her she was one of the strongest people they knew, she never felt strong. Only weakness plagued her thoughts. She might be physically strong, but emotionally she was so very weak.

Sasuke knew that. He used that. How else had he managed to break her heart apart time and time again?

But maybe she was weak emotionally, but Sasuke was dead in the emotion compartment as far as she could see. And emotions were what made people strong. Naruto was well on his way to becoming Hokage due to his strong desire to protect those he cared most about in this world.

She too had the desire to protect her children, the instinct and love of a mother was what caused her to do this. She knew he could very well find out. It would result in her death if he discovered her plan.

But somehow she knew it would work. Looking down at her son's face made her broken heart feel that somehow whole, even though she knew it was impossible to feel that way ever again. Not after so much torture had already occurred to her.

As she thought this, her son's eyes opened revealing his green eyes. He opened his mouth in a small yawn and blinked his eyes opened a few more times, before focusing his eyes on her.

A smile spread across his baby face, a big toothless grin took across his features. In any other situation she would have giggled at the expression he was wearing on his face. He reminded her of herself as a baby. She had seen the pictures and that same smile was always on her face as a young child.

That's why he was the one who had to go. Not his brother, but him. Because her darkest fear was that her other son would become exactly like his father.

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**You hurt me more than I deserve,**  
**how can you be so cruel?**  
**I love you more than you deserve,**  
**why am I such a fool?**

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The door opened with a creak, as Itachi slipped out of his room. He walked down the hallway with so many doors, that he felt he was unable to count them all. Of course he had on a day when he had not been allowed to leave the mansion. It was one of the things that entertained him.

Finally, at the end of the hall, he reached his destination. He opened the bathroom door, walked in and stood in front of the mirror. At first he didn't look into the mirror, because he clearly knew what he looked like without seeing his reflection.

Sweat covered his body and even though he was taking normal breaths, his heart was beating wildly. He turned a facet on and let some water form a pool in his hands before he splashed his face.

He remembered something about a dream that had disturbed him, but other wise his mind felt foggy and thick. Causing him to be unable to remember the complete aspect of his dream. He remembered something about a tree. But besides that his mind was too clouded to remember in full detail what had happened while he dreamt.

Something had disturbed him though, but then again he often found himself having nightmares that caused him to wake in the middle of the night and go find refuge in the bathroom.

He so often found himself wishing that someone was present to give him comfort. His father was here, yes. But when he was five around the time the nightmares had started he had entered his father's room hoping to find a companion to spend the rest of the night with, only to be reproached and commanded to get over such foolish things. But the nightmares never ended and he found that if he relaxed in the bathroom for a few hours he could once again find himself calmed enough to return to sleep.

The only thing he knew about this dream was that it wasn't a nightmare and that somehow it had given him comfort that he had long been without in this house.

He finally gazed into the mirror, completely transfixed on one thing in particular. He found that there was always some weird comfort in the emerald colored eyes that stared back at him.

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**It's amazing how you**  
**make your face just like a wall,**  
**how you take your heart and turn it off,**  
**how I turn my head and lose it all.**

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The sword punctured deep into her skin. So deep that the point of the blade could be seen coming out of her back. Her hands gripped the blade, trying to prevent it form entering her body any deeper, causing blood to be drawn from her fingers that were being sliced with the sharp weapon.

She tried to keep it from sliding any deeper into her abdomen, but with the amount of pressure being forced on the sword, caused it to slide deeper into her body. She let out a squeal of pain.

Finally the hand forcing the blade into her body released it. She immediately fell to the ground in pain with the sword still protruding out of her abdomen. Her body was desperately trying to stay alive, her chakra already healing the massive wound, but it simply wasn't enough.

Her chakra had already been diminished substantially due to her using it to power her supper human strength and to heal her body from the other knife wound she had gotten not but twenty minutes earlier.

Blood came from the sides of her mouth, drizzling down till it reached her jaw and then dripped down onto the floor. She laid on her side taking short and raspy breaths trying to not make the sword move at all and cause her any more unnecessary pain.

Her eyes were clouded over with misery as she looked into the eyes of the man she hated so much at this moment.

He was holding her son with his left arm and had just previously been using his right hand to push the blade into Sakura's stomach. He didn't hold her son in a way a father would, caring and loving, but instead with a possessive term as to say that this child belonged to him and no one else.

His eyes glowed red, but there was only a monotone expression on his face. He showed no emotion as the mother of his child lay bleeding on the ground.

Sasuke paid no head to the child that lay in his arms and instead bent down till his face was right above Sakura's.

"Know this Sa-ku-ra, he's no longer your child. You two have no connections any longer. His name is Itachi."

As he spoke this in a dangerous and low growl, Sakura watched with eyes that could no longer shed any tears. She felt like she should be crying, but found they would not form. Perhaps she would never be able to cry again.

Roughly he reached down for his sword and without a second thought ripped it out from her. She let out an ear shrieking cry of pain. She then curled into a ball trying to put enough pressure to stop the rapidly flowing crimson blood escape from her already blood deprived body.

Sasuke abruptly stood up and started backing away from the scene of the dying girl that thrashed around screaming.

Sakura gasped and moaned in pain all the while she tried to heal her wound. At least with the sword still intact it had stopped the blood to leave, but having it roughly ripped out had not only increased its size but also allowed all of the red substance to spill from her body.

Her hand glowed green briefly before it faded and grew to only a dim light on her fingers. She placed her other hand underneath her, trying to heal the same wound from the other side as well.

Her brain started to feel foggy and everything started to either appear to be spinning or have multiples of it. She knew automatically that it meant she had lost too much blood and would soon pass out from the lack of the substance.

She looked up at Sasuke who was still backing away from her. She sobbed openly despite that she no longer shed any tears. She gasped before calling his name in a weak and painful voice, for what seemed the last time. Then the darkness consumed her.

Two emerald-green eyes watched the entire seen unfold.

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**Days continue to pass,**  
**stars continue to shine.**  
**Why do I have tears in my eyes today**  
**when he was NEVER mine?**

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_A/N: Review….please….it would make me so very happy…_


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: So since this story won't have much of a SasuSaku romance, except for maybe a few flashbacks here and there, I am going to begin the prequel to this story, titled Always Alone, which will feature the romance between the two of them and what happened that resulted in her pregnancy. It might have a lemon if I can work up the courage to write one…but im not very brave so we shall see how that goes. _

_So this is probably going to be the last chapter that switches from the past to present and then it will revolve mostly around Itachi and Ren in the current time, when they're seven. I do plan on giving one of them a crush, so that this story isn't only centered on violence…_

_Also I wanted to give a thank you to the people who have been reviewing my story thus far:_

_pink-strawberries_

_xxxemotionallyCONSTIPATED_

_Pretty little one_

_It really is nice to have some reviews to read and keep you in the writing spirit!_

_Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, would I really be here on a fanfiction site? No, I would be in Hawaii sipping some fruity drink and basking in the sun. But for clarifications sake, I do not own Naruto._

**Warning:** _This Chapter contains violent situations...(but really, is that something new?)_

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**I don't know which I would rather believe... that you never did care or that you eventually stopped.**

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Blood. It covered everything. The walls of his home were drenched in it. The floor stained with it. The furniture was tainted with the substance that kept the human heart pumping. The master bedroom's usually white bed was now instead covered in large smudges of the crimson color.

Where the blood seemed most coagulated was the two bodies in the center of the room, one on top of the other. One had a long gash on its neck, which let the crimson prize inside spurt and gush out of the slice and onto the room's floor and the body that lay on top of it. The man's eyes were still open despite the fact they were clouded and unseeing.

The other body lay facing up toward the ceiling, its body strung across the other. A large kitchen knife could be seen protruding out of the body's chest, right where its once beating heart had rested.

A small boy, around five years of age, stood in front of the disaster. His whole body shook from the sight in front of him. His arms trembled slightly. His raven hair stood spiked at the back of his head.

He let out a small gasp, before looking at his fingers that were covered in the same red color that was all over the rest of the room. He stared for a few moments at the blood as it slid down the tips of his fingers before it formed a drop and fell towards the ground.

Plop. Plop.

He slowly looked up at the bodies again, this time with a smile spread across his features.

Suddenly a noise to his right caused his full attention to be drawn to the doorway that was located in that direction. His smile instantly ceased the wicked grin on his face when he saw the figure that stood rooted in place in the door frame with a look of pure shock on their face as it snapped back and forth between the boy and the two dead bodies.

His face turned to horror when he realized what exactly he had done.

"I-I d-didn't.." his voice seemed to catch in his throat when he saw the figure's horrified eyes land directly on him.

A gasp escaped from her lips and she immediately averted her eyes from his face. The move did not go unnoticed by the boy.

_W-What's wrong with my face? What happened to it?_

He remembered the mirror located opposite of the door way. For a moment he was almost afraid to turn his head and look. But with a slow, torturous pace he moved his head to look in the mirror. What he saw shocked him.

He had the eyes of a demon.

They were blood red. The same red color that was layered across the room. With two black comma-like marks that rotated around one black dot in the center of each eye. He gasped at the sight of himself.

_W-what am I? I'm a monster!_

He turned toward the women still standing at the door. Her black hair was in a pony tail that reached the middle of her back, a few pieces that she used as bangs were thrown messily across her sweat drenched face. Her eyes still would not meet his.

He looked at her wild and frantic, wanting—no needing—to know what had happened to him, what was wrong with him. Tears started to form at the corner of his eyes, threatening to spill over the rim.

"I-I.." he stuttered.

She looked up when he spoke and the minute she saw his expression—finally having looked him in the eyes—she appeared at his side. She brushed away a bang that had strayed onto his face, before picking him up in her arms, making a hand sign and with a poof, transported out of the room that reeked of death.

They reappeared just outside of the house, on the street that connected it to the rest of the village. She sat him on the ground and rubbed his head with calm, circular movements.

"Mom! What's wrong with me! I-I didn't know what was going on! They were going to hurt you and-" he shouted at her, tears spilling over his eyes, before she shushed him lightly; pressing her fingers to his quivering lips.

"It's okay baby. I know, I know, it was scary, but it's okay now. It's okay Ren." She smiled lightly at him, before she put two of her fingers to his temples and a light green color erupted from the tips. The boy felt slightly drowsy, but calmness washed over him and he could feel all the fear that crept over his skin float away as the warm invasive chakra entered him.

"Am I a monster?" he asked quietly, afraid that she would say that he was. A sob escaped his lips despite the fact he was calming down.

"No, No! Never think that!" she said quickly, not pausing a moment in hesitation. He nodded at her answer. Her green eyes focused with such an immense intensity on him he felt that it would burn a hole into his soul. He had once had those pretty eyes.

"Is this why all the adults don't look me in the eye? Do they think I'm a monster too?" the boy started panicking at the thought of all the adults that kept their children away from him; the adults that would sneer at the sight of him.

He was more than well aware of the situation. They may think he doesn't know, but he always did. He was more aware of the situation around him than other children his age. So he noticed the way they avoided him and left him all alone. It hurt him deeply always wondering why they would hate him when he had never done anything wrong.

She felt the sadness on his expression and through his chakra. She looked into his eyes—which to her relief had changed back to the emerald color—and rubbed with her hand his scrunched up temple.

"Hokage-Sama had the same problem when he was a child, and look at him now. The village loves him. They respect him more than anyone."

"But then….what about my eyes? What's wrong with them!" she had started shouting again and in result the women pumped more of her chakra into him, in hopes of calming him down.

"It's a gift, Ren."

"A gift from who? Why would anyone give such a scary gift to someone?" he questioned her with a puzzled expression, although his eyes still held the sadness and panic he had just felt.

He watched her expression change for a moment. It was such a split second change that he almost couldn't catch the emotion on her face. Pain. Such an immense amount too. But just as quickly had it arrived it vanished.

She let out a smile—which he knew to be fake—and answered him.

"It's a gift from your father."

_**

* * *

**_

**How can I forget you**  
**when you're always on my mind?**  
**How can I not want you**  
**when you're all I want inside?**  
**How can I let you go**  
**when I can't see us apart?**  
**How can I not love you**  
**when you control my heart?**

* * *

He was in a dark forest again. It seemed to always be his reoccurring nightmare. That he was alone in the darkness and that no one could save him from the impending night that loomed overhead.

He would always run toward a place that some part of his mind said that even though he couldn't remember exactly what would wait for him there, he would be free of this night that scared him so much. His heart screamed for him to continue and there he would find safety and comfort.

He would always remember the dark and the forest that kept him prisoner, but what happened when he ran in the same direction ever night always slipped his conscious mind.

His legs pushed harder and he soon found a small light that appeared between the thick trunks of the trees that stood in front of him. He felt the need to go faster and so he did. Gliding past the trees, chakra pulsing in his legs, he neared the light till it was in reaching distance.

In a split second everything changed. The light was no longer mere inches away from his grasp; in fact it had completely vanished, along with the forest that had been haunting his nightmares for so long.

Instead he was lying on his back facing upward, just in front of a house. The colors around him where ones of red and yellow and he could just hear the faint screaming in the background.

His body instantly tensed and the desire to protect himself caused adrenalin to start pumping into his veins. He tried to move so that he could stand erect and get a clear view of what was going on, but not even a little twitch of his fingers occurred.

_I can't move my body! _Immediately he started to thrash and kick about, or at least he thought he was, because his body stayed in its same position, not a centimeter out of place from where he was a few seconds ago.

He heard the sound of approaching footsteps from the direction of the house's entrance. He couldn't see who was coming towards him, but he prayed they would do him no harm. It was a small, light footstep and Itachi knew that the owner was small in size. He expected a young teenager to walk up, but instead was shocked at the women who gazed down at him.

He finally remembered what he had dreamed of for the past few days. A beautiful women with his colored eyes filled of sadness and regret. A woman with bright pink hair that rivaled that of the Cherry Blossom tree.

He tried to move his lips to speak to her, but not even his own mouth was able to move. He was paralyzed in every single part of his body. So instead he watched the women with her pink hair look at him with puffy, red eyes.

That's when he finally caught sight of her appearance. Her hair was disheveled and while one side was around the length of her shoulders the other reached all the way down to her mid back. She had cuts layering her entire body and dried blood was dotted all over her clothes. A bruise had formed on one of her cheeks, hiding her beauty behind the mark.

Her green eyes looked so sadly at him. He felt his breath catch at this sight. He found the sudden urge to hunt down the person who had down this to her and kill them. But he was still unable to progress in the slightest flinch of a finger and so the moment's feeling disappeared, but not the sorrow he felt looking up at the girl.

She slowly bent down towards him, while one of her hands extended out towards his forehead. He wasn't afraid of the contact it would bring even after he noticed the faint green color that was illuminated from her fingertips.

She lightly placed her hand against his forehead and he felt something rush into his body, it was quick a powerful and he tried to close his eyes in response, but of course they did not even flinch. As soon as it arrived, the flow rushed towards his head and seemed to gather for a moment before the feeling disappeared and the women lifted her hand away from him.

"P-Please…" she begged her voice breaking a little bit. "Please d-don't forget me…Remember and you'll never be alone again."

Itachi looked at the women as she stood up and started to back away. Just before she turned to walk in the direction opposite of the house that lay behind him, he noticed that she carried a blue bundle in her arms.

He wanted to shout at her to come back, but his body betrayed him. Very slowly as he continued to watch the pink haired women's back walk away form him, the scene started to fade until there was nothing but black in his sight.

_**

* * *

**_

**Wanting him is hard to get.**  
**Loving him is hard to regret.**  
**Losing him is hard to accept.**  
**But with all the hurt I've felt,**  
**Letting go is the most painful yet...**

* * *

Beep…Beep…Beep

The noise was steady and unwavering, not alternating its pace a moment in time.

Beep…Beep…Beep

And it was annoying the hell out of her.

Beep...Beep…BeEP...BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

SMASH

Her fist had just jutted out in the direction of the noise and a smile spread across her face, reaching all the way to her closed eyelids, just at the fact that the annoying sound was gone and she could now return to her peaceful sleep.

That's when she realized what it was. A noise that she was so used to in her line of work as a Medic Nin and doctor in Konoha. A heart monitor.

Her eyes snapped open taking in her surroundings. White. She knew immediately that it was the ceiling of the hospital as it was a boring, dull, white color, unlike the golden color that was painted on the ceiling of her bedroom.

She turned her head to look at where the pervious beeping had been heard and saw a broken or more accurate a completely smashed heart monitor. She looked down at herself and removed the small devices that were no longer useful to the lack of machine they were attached too.

"Wow. You really did a number on that, Sakura-chan."

She snapped her head up to look into the face of the number one knuckle head ninja in the leaf village, her best friend, Naruto.

"Narut-" Sakura abruptly stopped her warm welcoming of him, when she noticed too things about him.

One, he was wearing the Hokage robes and hat.

Two, he had an expression of such immense sorrow and grief.

She gasped. She personally knew that Tsunade had planned to hand over the reigns of the leadership of the village to Naruto. He had made himself more than worthy with him defeating Pein and stopping Sasuke's attack on the Kage summit, but she had wanted to wait a little longer before she handed over the full responsibility to him.

This could only mean one thing. Tsunade had died during the Sound's invasion of Konoha.

"Naru-"

"I'm sorry Sakura!" he interrupted her. "If I had been there! You have to understand…Hinata…I couldn't just leave her alone unprotected….I know…I'm sorry…I couldn't keep the promise…." he stopped talking mid sentence, head hanging down.

Sakura stared at him not understanding what he was talking about. Why was he talking about her, when Tsunade…..

That's when she remembered everything. Sasuke had taken away one of her son's. One of her babies. She felt the hollowness of her heart and that only confirmed that everything had not been some horrible nightmare.

She felt like her eyes should be watering and a sob escaped her lips and she shoved her hands in her face, trying to hold back the wave of grief that hit her. No tears spilled though.

"My b-baby!" she wailed her scream covered with her hands. She felt someone pull her into an embrace. She didn't need to look to know Naruto was trying to comfort her.

He rubbed soft circles on her back with one of his large hands. He was so much taller then her now.

She knew the last thing she felt while still conscious was dying. The last wound that Sasuke dealt her should have been fatal and yet she was still alive.

"W-Why..." she let another sob escaped her lips "Why am I still alive?"

"Baa-chan…she used all her chakra to save your life. Kind of like what Chiyo did for Gaara."

Sakura looked up at Naruto. Tsunade had given up her life to save her. Another gut wrenching sob came from her throat.

"Before she died…she said she could be with the old perv….ha…then she said I was going to be the greatest Hokage. Even better then my father. I doubt that though."

In any other situation Sakura would say that of course he would be a great Hokage. He was so strong now. The entire village had accepted him despite the Nine-tailed beast that dwelled in him. He and Hinata had gotten married recently and she was three months pregnant.

He deserved it so much. She deserved nothing. Maybe that's why everything was taken from her.

She removed her small hands from her face and looked into his blue eyes. He opened his mouth, no doubt to apologize again, but she interrupted him.

"I-It's not your fault…Hinata needed you, I sh-should….should have been able t-to stop him. But I couldn't! I-I never can! Why? Not even for my own child! Why do I still love him Naruto! Why does my heart still hurt! Why can't I protect my own children against him?"

_**

* * *

**_

**Its amazing how someone**  
**can break your heart**  
**But yet you still love them**  
**with every broken piece**

* * *

_A/N: I think this story is improving and I hope people continue to read it. (^.^)(^.^)_

_*gasp!* Sakura STILL loves Sasuke!_

_What promise did Naruto give Sakura? To bring Sasuke back? or a different one?_

_Why does Itachi remember his mom, when he last saw her at two months old?_

_And will Anakin…wait opps…Ren go to the dark side?_

_I don't know! Oh wait I do…hehe…well the rest of you will have to wait for the next chapter_


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Sorry for not updating sooner. 2 weeks ago it was homecoming and this week I had a ton of homework, so I didn't have any time to write. Anyways, I plan on updating one or two more times this weekend to make up for the lack of story. Also "Always Alone" will be started soon! Maybe once I get up to chapter 8 on Never Alone. Whatever the case, please keep reading and reviewing, cause it makes me feel better!_

_Also if you want a preview (kinda) of what I have planned for Always Alone just listen to this song...enjoy! __.com/watch?v=-oVWS6MwEQc__ or just look up the song __Haunted__ by Evanescence. _

_**Disclaimer**__: I have not and never will (unless I win the lottery and pay like 5 million dollars) own Naruto. _

**

* * *

**

**I should have been more careful. I was blinded by your halo, I never noticed the horns.**

* * *

It would be a lie if he said that he never wondered why he was missing a piece of his life. Why when he would see all the other children of the village being picked up by their father, his was never there. Why he was the only one that didn't have a father to train him in the way of the ninja and teach him powerful jutsus.

Ren always found the last thought before he went to sleep at night was 'Would my father be proud of me?'

His mother of course was. He at the age of 6 had been admitted into the academy to start his training at a young age. Already the top of the class with high grades only second to Kushina Uzamaki. But that was only to be expected she was a genius, though when he was around her father he always wondered if the smart gene skipped a generation.

He was the star of the school, but that meant nothing in the long run. The only approval he was seeking was of someone he had never met before. Someone he knew nothing about. Someone who would never be able to give their recognition to him.

He used to ask his mother all the time about his father, but soon he stopped, upon seeing that whenever he even mentioned something about his father, her eyes pained and she looked like she was remembering an event, because for a split second her eyes faded out of touch.

He hated that look. He felt like he could do nothing to protect her when she was like that. So he stopped asking. But he still remembered one of the last times he had asked her about his father.

"_Hey mom?"_

_His mother looked back at him from where she was cleaning the dishes, making smooth and gentle circles around the plate. Her long black hair was down and reached her lower back. She smiled at him._

"_What is it Honey?"_

_Ren hesitated for a moment. He rarely brought up this conversation, and he felt that maybe he didn't want to learn the answer. His mother looked at him, her head cocked to the side with one of her black eyebrows raised. He sucked in a breath before speaking. "What happened to my father? Where is he?" _

_As he predicted her face took a quick look of shock before her emerald eyes seemed to look past him. He heard a loud cracking noise and saw that the plate she had been washing had been snapped in half; he watched as blood pooled out of her fingers making the suds take a pinkish color. Usually she would snap right out of it, but this time she didn't._

_Panicking, he nearly shouted at the top of his lungs, "Mom!"_

_Her eyes finally focused on him again and she realized immediately that he was panicking over her brief absence of mind and when she felt the slight sting coming from her fingers, she knew she had broken skin and shattered the plate._

_He raced forward and grabbed her hands—careful to avoid the areas where the blood escaped—the shattered pieces of plate that where still in her hands, slipped out and landed on the floor. He watched as his mother's blood started to slide down onto his hand, flowing quickly._

_He shuddered at the sight. He disliked blood especially after an event that had happened when he was younger, but he pushed that thought aside and focused on his injured mother._

"_Mom! Your hands!" He heard a muffled giggle from her and snapped his head up to glare at her, eyes narrowing into thin slits. _

_When she saw him glare at her she was unable to stop herself from bursting out in laughing giggles._

_She moved her hands together, with his still attached to her wrists, and clasped them together. He watched in amazement as a green glow briefly illuminated from between her hands, before it vanished and she pulled her hands apart so he could see the nonexistent cut marks._

_He gasped out loud, before he cut the sound off. It never ceased to amaze him how awesome his mother was, but he felt strange when he gave people too much recognition. He still couldn't help the fact that he was always impressed by her._

_He looked up at her, a smile spreading across his lips, until he saw the expression on her face. The giggles had stopped and she was completely serious now. He knew she was going to answer his question._

_He had always wondered what had become of his father. Once in a while he would hear people whispering when he walked pass them. He could catch words like "His father…looks so much…Sakura…gone…demon" He heard the last word the most often. It made him afraid of something he couldn't identify. His head would snap in their direction and they would stop talking the minute he looked at them._

"_Ren…" she paused, he suspected that she was trying to find the words to say. "Ren, your father…" another long pause, "the man I loved died a long time ago. Before you where even born." _

He had suspected that much. When he was younger he thought that maybe his father was on a mission that was of great importance and that was why he had never met him, but as the days, months, and years past he realized that was highly unlikely.

So now he was a seven year old, struggling for the attention of someone who was dead. He sighed at that fact. Maybe he would always do this, but for now he would continue. He felt that if he became stronger, worked harder, somehow he could get closer to his father, even if it was just in memory.

"Ren Haruno?" Ren's head snapped up toward the board. He sat in the middle of the class room, his books spread out in front of him. He saw the teacher, Iruka-sensei, glaring at him from his seated position, a piece of paper in his hands.

Of course he wasn't the only one staring. Almost every girl in the classroom had their eyes fixated on the boy they all flung themselves at during the day. The only one who was looking at him without little hearts in their eyes was the blond haired girl, seated next to him.

She had a grin on her face. Her pale violet-blue eyes, watched him with more of a mocking attitude. She whispered "Ren you're in sooooo much trouble."

"Shut up Kushina" he whispered and growled at his best friend.

He stood up and spoke, his voiced laced with pride and bravery, "Yes Sensei?"

Iruka looked at Ren for a moment before simply saying "It's time for your training with Kakashi. You may leave now."

"Hn."

Ren heard the girls of the room sigh and saw a decent amount of pouts, Kushina included. He knew she wanted him to get in trouble for staring out into space during class. So for that reason he kicked her in the shin.

"Owie!" She glared up at him.

"Gomen(1) Kushina." he mockingly said before he grabbed his books off the desk and walked down the isle to the door.

With his great hearing he heard "Baka(2)," A smirk spread across his face as he opened the door and headed toward the training grounds with the three logs, where he always personally trained with Kakashi.

He still knew nothing about the three genin that had once, long ago, trained in that exact same spot. Despite the fact that only a little while ago he had discovered the picture of the shattered 'Team 7.'

**

* * *

**

**You're the one who broke my heart, You're the reason my world fell apart, You're the one who made me cry, Yet I'm still in love with you and I don't know why.**

* * *

Itachi walked down the hallways, which seemed to never end. It was quite questionable on the reason why so many rooms where here in this house. They were never used and it seemed pointless to have such a big house when nobody was ever there to sleep in them.

No one at all.

Itachi felt so alone in this village. He was close to no one. Not even his father. The people of the vilage looked at him with fear in their eyes. They were so terrified of his name and his being, that they would clear the entire streets just so they would not do something to upset him. Retribution was what terrified them.

This village was barley alive, to him it seemed. Something was obviously missing from the picture. The houses were worn down and many had boarded up windows and doors, used to protect themselves from the crimes and murders that occurred so often.

He had no friends or children his age to play with. He had this word come from his father's mouth so often it seemed to be implanted in his head.

_Useless _he heard his father's voice say in the back of his head.

That's what everything was, useless, unnecessary, a distraction to power, to strength. So he was never allowed to have any. He was never given any toys to play with in his younger years. He was never allowed to play with the other children. He was never allowed to do anything.

_Prisoner_ this time he heard his own voice speak in his head.

He shook the thought from his mind. He wasn't a prisoner here. He was free to leave the house and go into the village whenever he liked. He could even leave the outskirts of the village if he wished.

But the nagging feeling continued, and Itachi felt deep within himself that maybe he really was a prisoner in this place.

Itachi had reached the door to the house and pulled it open with a swift movement. A gust of eerie wind blew in, causing his spiky raven hair to blow in the sudden breeze. A shiver was sent down his spine.

This feeling was not unnatural to him. He felt it often when he was in this village, the sound village, or the dead village as he liked to call it.

He didn't step outside the house. Sometimes he just liked to look outside of the house. He just enjoyed watching from the door the streets that were centered around the Kage house.

He was actually surprised about what he saw. A group of children, maybe a year younger than him, were running around playing a game of tag. That was a very rare sight, most children were never allowed to leave the house, for fear they would never return.

The only reason Itachi was allowed to leave the house, was because no one dared harm the Otokage's son. Unless of course they wished to die.

The children ran in circles screaming and giggling when the chaser would rush after them and reach for their arm, only for the child to rush just outside of the boy's grasp.

A women's shout could be heard in one of the doorways. The children playing stopped and turned all of their tiny heads in the direction of the noise. Itachi turned his head too.

"Come on baby, time to come in. The rest of you better go back to your parents too."

One of the children called back to her. "Yes Mommy!" He ran toward the door and made a leap into her outstretched arms. She laughed and hugged him tightly before carrying him into the house. The rest of the children started to disperse toward their homes.

Envy filled Itachi.

He never got such love from anyone in this place. He never received affection from his father. In fact he normally never saw his father during the day. He would attend his school and train his hardest and return home, only no one was present to congratulate his success of the day.

Not like even if his father was there he would show even a moment's amount of recognition. Itachi was good in school, but not the best. He was also pretty horrible at handling a weapon, so when he got most of the knifes on the target he felt proud of his accomplishment.

But what Itachi envied the most right now, was that the boy that had returned home had a mother.

Itachi didn't.

He shut the door with a loud slam before sitting down back against the closed door.

Itachi used to question what had happened to his mother a lot. He never asked his questions out loud, especially to his father. Something told him nothing good would come out of conversing with his father over such matters.

He used to look at all the women that came to see his father or were even remotely close to him hopping that one of them would turn and say 'My son.' That of course never happened and Itachi could tell from one look in their eyes that it was impossible they would have been his mom.

Because never in all the time he had lived in this place, never had any of the women had his emerald-green eyes.

For a long while he thought that a red headed girl with glasses was his mother, since she spent the most time of all the women in the village with his father. He was actually happy when he concluded that the woman was not his mother. She scared him and the way her buggy eyes followed his father everywhere he went.

She had passed away about three years ago. Killed on a mission. Itachi knew she wasn't his mother when his father didn't even attend her funeral. Because his father would be horrified if his mother were to die?

Right?

His father's eyes were a dark onyx color and he knew that he would have not gotten his eyes from anywhere on his father's side of the family. They were so cold and dark, while his were bright and filled with life. So that left one thing. His mother had given her colored eye's to her son.

So he searched for anyone with that colored eyes. When he ever saw anyone with green eyes, he hoped so much, only to be disappointed that they were not his emerald eyes.

The thought brought back his dreams of the girl with pink hair. He still could not recall the dream entirely, but he was now remembering bits and pieces. He could recall a woman that shared his colored eyes.

Itachi knew she was probably not real, but with just a thought that maybe she could exist made him fill with such powerful emotions that he wanted to burst forth from his home and search the entire world for her.

He got up from his seated position and walked toward the long hallways that lead to his room, where he thought he would rest and dream of a person he had never met in his life.

**

* * *

**

An**d even though you lied, and even though you pretended to care I can't seem to get you out of my mind and even though it seems like I should be over you, with every tear that falls, it reminds me of how much I am still in love with you.**

* * *

_A/N: Woot! Woot! Onward to the next chapter! *begins typing*_

_**Random thought of the day:**__ "My cat makes cute snoring sounds when she sleeps. Kawaii! __**:Thus concludes Random thought of the day.**_

(1): Sorry

(2): Idiot [_the first Japanese word I learned…..ah…]_


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Writers block…and homework, lots of it. Sorry! Anyone been reading the Naruto manga? What do you guys think of sasuke? I think hes gone kuku for revenge-o puffs. No but really he's pretty messed up. –sigh- Well here is the next chapter. I'm not one of those writers that will set a number of reviews I want before I update, but I will keep working hard on the story, so please keep reviewing, cause I appreciate it a bunch. So Review, Review, Review!.....REVIEW! (I don't care what you write! Comment that I'm a lazy ass and need to update faster, that you like certain scenes or dislike them, I'll even take one worded reviews!)

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto (cause seriously (1) Sasuke would not be going crazy like this, (2) Naruto would be seen more often, (3) Naruto would have kicked Sasuke's ass by now)

**Warning: **violence, gore, the usual stuff..oh and there are probably a lot of grammar mistakes

_**Happy birthday Naruto!**_

**

* * *

**

**I used to think that if I loved you enough you would realize it and love me back, but I can only love so much for so long.**

* * *

"_Sasuke…"_

"_I-I love you.."_

"_P-Please say something.."_

"_I-I know you don't care for me, b-but"_

"_I want to stay with you, p-please let me."_

"_S-Sasuke-kun?"_

**

* * *

**

**I'm mad at myself, not you. I'm mad for always being nice, always apologizing for things I didn't do, for getting attached, for making you my life, depending on you, wasting my time on you, thinking about you, following you, changing for you, forgiving you, wishing for you, dreaming of you, and most of all... for not hating you which I know I should... but I can't.**

* * *

As he walked through the village, he couldn't help but notice the stares that followed him. It happened every time he was in the village. It had become such a normal sight for Ren that he no longer took notice of the stares.

Ren continued to walk through the streets, his hands in his pockets and a carefree stroll pace set towards the designated training grounds. In the back ground he heard a group of girls around his age giggling as he passed them.

He inwardly sighed at the unwanted attention that he was receiving from the village girls. He didn't understand why they would want to swarm around him so much and fawn over his every action. The only girl he could even remotely stand was Kushina. But she never fawned for his attention like the others.

He kept his casual pace, but could not deny the relief he felt when he was out of the girl filled streets and walking towards the training grounds. Soon he entered the clearing and to no surprise found it empty of his sensei.

He strolled down toward three polls and then leaned against the one on the left. He figured he would relax while he waited for his sensei.

XXX

"Sorry I'm late Ren, I was on my way here when—"

"Save it Kakashi-Sensei. I've been waiting here for 2 hours!"

The boy glared daggers at his teacher, who was scratching the back of his head and his one visible eye closed and from what Ren could see from the outline of the mask he was smiling. He scoffed at the sight before he took a step away from the wooden stump he was still leaning on.

He had a lot of pent up restlessness that he wanted to release and he figured that taking it out on his late sensei was the best idea.

Before Kakashi could even open his eye, Ren had lunged.

Of course there was a matter of size. Ren barley reached Kakashi's mid section and that left a disadvantage, but Ren made up for it in his ability to move more gracefully instead of heavy, bulky movements.

But before Ren had even taken two steps, Kakashi had disappeared from his previous position. Ren hit open air. Letting out a frustrated growl, he turned his head from left to right searching for his Sensei. Then he heard someone speak, except the voice came from all directions.

"Well, well, well, rash as always Ren? Just like your mother. Just leaping into the fight without a second thought. Tsk Tsk, were going to have to work on that."

Ren let out another low growl. He had been caught in a genjutsu. He presumed that Kakashi had set it up before he had appeared before him. It was a good one two, because no matter how much Sasuke reached with his chakra he couldn't sense were his teacher had hidden.

Ren took a breath before taking his hands and placing them together.

"Kai!"

Immediately Ren could feel the difference. His chakra which had been trying to recognize the general location of Kakashi found its target. With a flash of speed two kunai were launched toward his sensei hidden behind a group of trees. The first, upon collision with a tree, exploded causing the surrounding trees to be either blown to pieces or engulfed in flames.

The second flew through the flames, disappearing through the smoke that had covered the sky. Ren heard the satisfying sound of the weapon hitting flesh.

He thanked Kami that his mother had taught him how to release genjutsus. At first he had out right refused, thinking they were unnecessary and a waste of time to learn. When his mother gave a slightly upset look he had then hurriedly agreed to learn the move in order to not upset her further.

As much as he hated to admit it, he was obviously wrong in his assumption that learning something like a genjutsu release was ineffective in battle.

At this point Ren had raced through the smoke to land a little away from were Kakashi was standing. He looked to see that his kunai was successfully imbedded in his teacher's left arm. He couldn't resist the smirk that spread across his face.

Kakashi let out a sigh.

"I keep forgetting that I have to be careful with you. Not even worried that your precious teacher could have died from the injury you just gave him. How uncaring."

While Kakashi said this he had reached with his uninjured arm to remove his headband from his eye.

Ren's smirk grew bigger as he took the chance to activate his own Sharigan.

These training sessions had started about half a year ago. In order to improve his number one move he needed to fight and train with someone who had that same power as well. He would not lie that he was anything but shocked when he learned that Kakashi had the same blood line trait as him.

His mother had brought Ren to him, in order for the boy to learn more about his power and how to control its usage. He had only just turned six at that time.

When Kakashi had suggested training sessions, Ren knew his mother was not happy. Ren had the sinking feeling that she only wanted Ren to learn about the Sharigan so he control it and not activate it in heated situations.

He also noticed that whenever he activated the Sharigan, his mother would never look him in the eyes. He felt the same way. He hated thinking that instead of the bright, innocent, beautiful emerald colored eyes he had, instead they were the color of the sharigan.

Cold, dark, miserable….._deadly_. Ren suppressed a shudder at that thought. He rather not think about the memories on how his Sharigan had been activated.

His train of thought was interrupted when he saw through his red eyes that Kakashi had started to make some hand signs. Ren acted right away.

Spinning in the air, his right leg collided with Kakashi's injured arm, causing the sensei to make a small grunt noise of pain and stop his hand signals. Ren couldn't tell which of his jutsus that was going to be used on him, since had yet been able to activated his full sharigan.

The third tome that would allow him to copy and interoperate the next move of his opponent before they even made it. He smirked at such a thought. He felt that if kept training he would soon be able to achieve such a talent.

Ren spun in the air again, since Kakashi had gripped his right ankle with his uninjured arm. His left leg tried to come into contact with his arm again, but in the last second Kakashi released his ankle and grabbed his other leg.

Placing his hands on the ground, it gave him the edge he needed to flip his body in the air a third time and try to clip his teacher on his head. His foot was an inch away, just about to hit his sensei on the face, when suddenly there was nothing there at all.

Since the arm that was holding his leg was keeping the boy in balance, the absence of it made Ren fall to the ground with a loud thud.

He looked up from where he had just face planted and saw the sandals of the all too famous Copy ninja.

"You almost got me that time Ren."

"Hn."

He heard Kakashi chuckle above him. Then it paused, and the air grew thick with tension. Ren looked up to see that his Sensei was contemplating something. His one visible eye was narrowed from the deep thought.

Ren stood in a second and looked up toward Kakashi wondering what was happening. He searched for any sign of distress nearby or any intruders but found none.

Finally Ren noticed the resolve that flickered across the ninja's face—or what was visible of it—and look at his student with the outline of his mask showing a smile.

"You fight with the same style that you're father did, Ren."

Ren's eyes widened when he heard that comment. He couldn't help the sudden feeling of shock and pride that filled him.

"R-really?" he asked quite hoping that his sensei was speaking the truth.

"Yep, he once came at me almost the exact same way you did just now."

Ren opened his mouth to ask a bunch of questions that he was thinking, since he barley knew anything about his father. In fact he didn't even know what his name was, but then Kakshi interrupted him.

"Well, sorry Ren, but I have to go now. The Hokage wants to see me. Well more like he wanted to see me an hour ago. So I will have to train with you another time. Bye."

In a whirlwind of leaves, Kakahsi disappeared leaving the exasperated student behind.

When he comprehended what his Sensei had just said to him, it made him remember something and he silently cursed himself for not asking before he had attacked Kakashi.

Had Kakashi once trained the Hokage? The picture he had seen in his attic only a few days ago plagued his mind. So many questions surrounded it. He had wanted to ask his sensei about it.

Then another thought raced through his mind. Kakashi had spoken of his father like he had known him well. And the way he talked like he knew exactly how his father had once fought made him realize, he talked like it was a teacher talking about an old student.

The thought brought the man with Raven hair and onyx eyes back into his mind. The man that Ren looked so much like. Did that mean that was the man his mother had loved? The man who was his father?

Everything was falling into place, but yet he still had so many questions that had yet to be answered. But Ren was nothing less that determined on finding all of them out.

**

* * *

**

**I had a dream and it was about you ...**  
**I smiled and recalled the memories we had ...**  
**then I noticed a tear fell from my eyes ... you know why?**  
**Coz in my dream you kissed me and said goodbye ...**

* * *

Itachi felt that same glowing feeling enter him, when he opened his eyes to discover the all too familiar forest was surrounding him. A grin spread across his face as he raced through the trees to the spot he now visited every night.

He always found the same women awaiting him, even though a different situation would appear every time. One time he awoke to be lying in her arms; her smiling at him with devotion and love. Another he found himself being sung to, her voice beautiful and had a ring of music in itself.

He was grateful that he never dreamt of the one where she walked away from him. Where in the background he heard screams. Where she said words to him like it was the last time she would ever see him.

A shiver went down his spine and as he continued running he rubbed his arms trying to make the goose bumps disappear. Something about that moment scared him.

No.

It terrified him. He felt like he was forgetting something very important. Something he should remember, but for some reason did not want to.

He continued running in the direction of the place he now felt like was his home. To a woman that he knew loved him and though he was rarely able to speak to her, he loved her too.

But he wanted to know why she visited him every night. He knew he could have conjured her up himself. He was so lonely during the day, having barley any human contact that he could have made her up; because he wanted to believe that someone loved him.

Did that sound pathetic or what? He noticed that he was near the area where he met her every night. His paced quickened. He was exerting himself more than he did when he trained.

If his teachers only knew that he ran faster and harder to get to a figment of his imagination then he did during school training, they would be ashamed. But that was the things about dreams. Only you know what they are about.

He reached the opening and leaped through the last bits of trees, launching his body towards the meadow. He landed with a light thump, he knew it was only audible to his ears. He looked up franticly desperate to find her.

And he did.

She stood in the middle of the field, with a smile that beckoned him. It was warm and welcoming and he knew that she had been awaiting his arrival. Very slowly she opened her arms, almost reaching towards him. At first he didn't understand what she was doing.

"Itachi" she called.

Then it clicked. She had opened her arms in the form of a hug. She wanted to hug him. His breath caught in his throat. He had seen others receive them from outside of his windows, but never in his life had he received one himself.

He dashed across the field and nearly flew into her arms. He wrapped his small arms around her tiny waist. They reached almost all the way around. He suddenly realized that she was so very tiny for her age. Her arms wrapped around him as well and she pulled him close.

Itachi loved the feel of her against him. It felt so right. Like he had been made just to hugged by this women. Just to be loved. He liked that feeling.

He clutched at her afraid that she would disappear right then and there.

"Itachi" she whispered.

Then her arms were no longer around him. Some unknown force had wrenched him away from her. He had been pulled away from her loving embrace. He tried reaching out to her, but whatever had pulled him away wouldn't let him move any further.

The women with pink hair looked shocked. Then pain spread across her features, like her heart had been ripped out. He knew she felt that he belonged in her arms too.

A bright flash filled his vision and he closed his eyes so he didn't go blind, but it vanished just as quickly as it had come. He opened his eyes to see that the women was still in front of him, except she was no longer whole and beautiful, but mangled and bloody.

A sword was sticking out of her midsection. It was imbedded all the way to the hilt of the weapon. She lay withering on the ground, obviously in agony from the pain.

She was not crying, but her eyes were puffy and red showing that she had recently been. She looked at Itachi's general direction, but not at him. She looked above him, her eyes focused on something he could not see.

Then the same force he had felt before pushed him forward until he was just a little above her chest. He turned his head to see the women's eyes focused on something. She seemed to be listening to what someone else was saying to her.

Then the sword that was sticking out of her stomach was suddenly pulled from her. Itachi watched, wanting to do something, but unable to move from his position until whatever was controlling him moved him.

He had to listen to her ear piercing scream, without even being able to flinch. He wanted to shout at whoever was doing such a thing to stop it. To stop hurting her, but his lips wouldn't form the words. They didn't move at all.

He watched the pink haired woman, curl into a ball and he saw that her hands glowed a faint green color.

She's healing herself. He had seen medics heal before and he hopped that she could do it. But he knew she couldn't. There was so much blood pouring out of her body. Nothing could save her. He wanted to cry, but couldn't.

The thing that was holding him, starting to pull him backwards. He watched the woman bleed to death, his insides shacking at the sight.

He saw out of the corner of his eye the blood covered sword. There was so much of the substance on it that it flowed off of the sword's tip and dropped to the ground. Because it was so drenched in it, he couldn't make out any significant markings, but at the same time it looked so familiar.

He was sure he had seen it before.

He heard a gasp come from in front of him and his attention once again focused on the woman.

Her eyes were growing clouded and foggy. She looked not at him but once again just above him toward something he could not see. Toward whatever was the thing that was pulling Itachi away from the girl.

Her mouth opened and a little bit of blood came out when she did so. He could tell that she was sobbing, even though no tears feel from her eyes.

Then she spoke in a weak voice, so quietly he almost didn't catch the name she spoke. But he did.

His eyes grew wide and suddenly he realized why the sword seemed so familiar to him.

"S-Sasuke…"

It belonged to his father.

**

* * *

**

**Time and time again, I forgave you. I've forgiven you for things that I swore to myself I'd never forgive someone for... and here you are, still hurting me, and I still forgive you..**

* * *

"_Uchiha!"_

"_I hate you!"_

"_Shut up!"_

"_This is your entire fault!"_

"_Let me go! Let go! LET GO!"_

"_B-bas…bastard!"_

**

* * *

**

**Without you there is no love.**  
**Without you there is no me.**  
**Without you there is nothing.**  
**So I'm asking, baby,**  
**please don't leave.**

* * *

A/N: Okay does anyone want to be my beta for this story? I'm pretty bad at editing my own work. I always read it correctly when in fact it isn't. If anyone is willing just tell me. Thankz!


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: uhhhhhh……yeah nothing much to say…yep…thankz to all the readers out there!

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Naruto…..hmmm…but sometimes you have to wait patiently and you will receive…..or you won't….

**

* * *

**

**Every morning I wish it were night again,**  
**for it is only at night and in the depth of my dreams that I can feel you,**  
**and you belong to me.**

* * *

_An ear piercing scream._

_A sob with no tears._

_Fear._

_Red eyes._

_Terror._

XXX

"AHHHHHHH!"

Ren's awoke in a flash, his green eyes opened the moment the sudden scream filled the house. His mind still slightly groggy with sleep, but when he recognized that the voice belonged to his mother he immediately shot up from his bed.

"Let me go! Let go! Nooo!" he heard his mother shriek.

He ignored the fact that he was dressed in his sleep wear and preceded to sprint faster then he had ever traveled in his life, his mind racing at what could have made his mother make such a noise. He was afraid of the answer. He tried to located an intruder inside the house, but only found the chakra of his mother.

His Sharigan had activated on impulse.

"Please….please stop." Begging.

He all but smashed through his mother's closed door, landing with a quiet thud. His red eyes searched the room for danger. For whatever could be harming his mother.

He found nothing.

His eyes raced back and forth throughout the room, but after a double check he realized that there was no one but his mother and him in the room.

"P-plea..se stop……don't." He saw his mother shaking on the bed. Her petite body was having multiple spasms; almost seizure-like. He was at her side in half a second.

She shook violently. Her small hands gripped her head, her nails digging into her scalp. Her black hair was spread wildly around her face. Her eyes were closed, but her face was twisted into something of a mix between fear and anger.

He tentatively reached out one of his hands to touch the side of her face.

"Mom…." she made no reaction to the touch, much too deep in the dept of her nightmare to notice the voice calling to her.

"Mom!" This time his voice held a slight bit of panic.

She had been on a mission a few days ago and Ren was worried that something had happed to her to suddenly cause such an on slot of fear. An enemy ninja could have done something to harm her. The thought angered him to the point his hand that was caressing her face started to shake.

Had she been poisoned? No she would have noticed that, after all she was the best medic ninja in the village. A delayed Genjustsu placed on her? That didn't seem too likely as well.

"NOOOOOOO! DON"T TAKE HIM! LEAVE ME ALONE!"

The sudden outburst scared Ren and caused him to leap backwards, letting go of her face in the process.

She starting to make sobbing noises in the back of her throat. Small, bloody crescent marks started to form were her nails gripped her head too hard.

Panic filled him and in his desperation to stop whatever nightmare was plaguing her, he grabbed her wrists tightly and tried to yank her hands away from her head, all the while screaming "Mom! Mom wake up!"

When he finally ripped her hands away from her head, the thrashing of her body stopped. Her wild struggles ended as well and to his relief her eyes slowly opened.

He leaned in closer to her face, a sigh passing his lips. Relief gripped his ever being.

He noticed as she blinked her eyes open they were glazed over and seemed almost wet. Like she was crying, but no little droplets of water could be seen.

In fact he had never once seen her cry. Not when she was injured, not when he was, not when she was happy or sad. Never in his life had he seen her cry tears. He realized just how strange it really was. Even he at some points found himself crying in front of his mother.

His observant eyes landed on her face again, when she had her fully opened eyes focused on him.

He was about to speak when her eyes suddenly grew wide. Terror gripped her every feature. She screamed.

Before he could even think of moving one of her wrists escaped his grip. She had chakra enhanced it and for that reason when she ripped her wrist away it broke three of his fingers.

He let out a hiss of pain that was abruptly interrupted when he felt a collision with his head.

He flew backwards hitting the dresser that was behind him. He completely crashed threw it, slamming into the wall, causing a hole to be created into the plywood. Splitters of the destroyed dresser fell over him.

He felt so dizzy and tiny black dots spread across his vision. He felt some sticky substance drip down his face, landing onto his top. He saw that a crimson color stained his shirt.

His eyes tried to focus on the scene in front of him, but everything was getting so fuzzy. His Sharigan deactivated.

The last thing he saw before the black took over was his mother looking at him with a face full of horror and pain.

He could still hear for a moment, till it too disappeared from his grasp.

"Oh god…Ren."

"RENNN!"

XXX

He could see a small amount of white light and there was some kind of noise around him, but it was all so jumbled he couldn't focus on it.

He heard a few words here and there, but his mind couldn't place them together.

"Concussion…..injury…internal bleeding…ribs…fracture"

Then the darkness consumed him again.

XXX

"What……Sakura…..okay."

He felt so confused. His mind was so foggy. He wanted to open his eyes and see what was happening, but something heavy kept him from doing so. He realized that he was almost in a sleep like stance, him being only partly awake.

He heard the sound of a steady beeping and a dripping noise. There was a low sobbing noise. After a moment he was able to focus on the voices.

"He's…" sob, "He's gonna be fine. The worst was the head wound and I healed that back at the house."

He knew it was his mother talking. No one else could possibly possess such a voice that produced a sweet, melodic tone.

"What happened Sakura? They said you were the one to attack him. You didn't right?"

That voice undoubtedly belonged to the Hokage.

He heard a gut wrenching sob. There was a minute's pass, before the Hokage spoke again.

"Sakura answer me!" Another horrible sobbing noise. If he could move he would have attacked the Hokage for upsetting his mother like this.

"I-I…I was dreaming…It was about_ him_…when I woke up…Ren…Ren had his Sharigan activated….h-he looked just like _him…_I t-thought_…"_ she broke off in another one of her gut wrenching sob.

He heard a soft shuffling noise.

"It's okay Sakura. Shhh…He's okay…Ren's fine…_He's _not coming back…don't worry…_He _doesn't know anything about Ren, we made sure of that." Pause. "There's no reason for _him_ to come back, he thinks you're dead."

_What? _

None of this made sense. Who were they talking about? What was going on? His brain was starting to go dizzy again.

Ren was struggling to stay focused on the conversation.

"B-but…if we n-never…what about…Sa...I-Ita…Itachi?"

_Itachi?_

The name sounded so familiar. He tried to remember if he had heard the name before, but his brain wouldn't focus and despite his efforts he slipped back into unconsciousness.

**

* * *

**

**Sometimes we tend to be in despair**  
**when the person we love leaves us,**  
**but the truth is, it's not our loss,**  
**but theirs, for they left the only people**  
**who wouldn't give up on them.**

* * *

_Dreams._

_Nightmares._

_Truth._

_Fear._

_Escape._

XXX

He jerked awake, body flying into the sitting position. His breath came out in tight gasps; his hands that gripped the sheets of his bed were visibly shaking. Sweat dripped down from the corner of his face; a single drop fell onto his clenched hand.

Itachi tried to control his rough breaths, but found that he couldn't breath right. His entire body had started to shake.

_Calm down._

He placed his hands to his face, gripping the skin of his face hard, though not enough to puncture his skin.

It couldn't be true. No, no. It was just a dream. He had created it. It never really happened. It didn't happen…no…no. It couldn't have happened.

That woman didn't exist. She couldn't possibly be real, because he couldn't believe that his father could really kill someone like that.

His stomach curled in a tight knot. Placing his hand over his mouth he burst out of his room and raced toward the door at the end of the very long hallway.

He raced into the bathroom, till he reached his destination. Gripping the toilet's seat as if his life depended on it, he leaded over it, wrenching loudly into the container.

After he was able to stop vomiting into the basin, he stood at the sink and turned the facet on. He let could water pool into his hands before he took a sip.

Once his mouth was clean he looked into the mirror.

Terrified green orbs stared back at him.

He raced back to the toilet to throw up again. Afterwards he cleaned his mouth, this time making sure he didn't look back into the mirror.

Even if it was a dream, the way she was killed, the way she looked at him with those eyes…it…it was just too real.

The way she called his father's name, begging, pleading, but at the same time knowing. Knowing that the person would never save her. Knowing she was about to meet death.

His stomach twisted again, but this time he calmed himself down without having to throw up.

He needed answers. He needed to ask his father if he ever knew a woman with pink hair…and those green eyes. His green eyes.

He brushed a hand threw his raven hair, before he walked out of the room. He walked till he stood in front of his father's door. It was closed like always.

He reached for the knob before he paused. Fear pulsed in his veins. What if….what if..

_No…just go in and ask him, there's no way he would kill someone like that. No…way.._

Then Itachi saw his father's cold eyes in his mind. Then they turned into the deadly crimson color of his father's sharigan.

He shivered. He couldn't help but be happy in some way that he hadn't been able to activate his sharigan yet, because then he knew he would look just like his father, and despite what he tried to tell himself, that thought terrified him.

Itachi closed his eyes briefly before he summoned the courage needed to open the door and enter his father's room.

His eyes searched for the tall man with raven hair that usually secluded himself to his room.

No one was there.

After a second he decided to use his chakra to see if he was anywhere in the house. He felt the chakra signatures of a few maids, but nothing else.

He stepped back out of the room, thinking about where his father could be. The Otokage tower?

He raced out of the house determined to find answers.

XXX

When he entered the building a few of the guards looked surprised to see him, probably since it was past midnight, but that didn't stop him as he rushed toward his father's office.

He knew as he approached the room that someone was inside.

He burst threw the doors shouting, "Father! I-"

He abruptly stopped speaking when he noticed that it wasn't his father in the room. A tall man with orange hair looked back at him.

"Itachi-Sama."

Itachi nodded his head before speaking again.

"Juugo. Do you know my father is?"

Juugo tipped his head to the side and looked at Itachi with a confused look.

"He went on a mission. Didn't he tell you that? He left a few hours before midnight."

"Nani? N-no he didn't tell me that….when will he be back?"

This time the man had pity present in his eyes. He turned his out the window a moment before he looked back at him. Itachi noticed how Juugo always seemed to look him straight into his eyes, never avoiding them. He almost seemed drawn to them.

It brought back the memories of all the times his father avoided his emerald eyes. All the times he would not let his onyx eyes meet his son's green ones. He had always know the action to be strange, but pushed the feeling away when he noticed his father rarely looked anyone straight in the face. Let alone there eyes. Itachi pushed the thought out of his head when Juugo answered.

"Aa…it's a long mission. Sasuke-sama said it would be a few months before he returned.

Itachi gasped.

"W-wha! A few months? How many!"

Juugo paused again before he answered.

"Three to five."

Itachi didn't try to hide the hurt that filled his expression. He felt betrayed. His father didn't give a crap about him. He didn't feel that it was necessary to tell him that he would be gone for the next few months.

Not like it mattered. His father was never there for him when he was in the village. He sometimes went days without seeing him. Itachi's fist clenched at his sides.

Nobody cared about him.

_No one._

Suddenly he saw the face of the woman with pink hair. Her face was bright with color. Not the dying look she had just dreamt of her. She smiled at him before she called his name.

"_Itachi!"_ Her smile only grew wider and she did not try to hold back the love in her eyes. In fact she seemed to make it more pronounced on her face. She spoke again.

"_You will never be alone…"_

Itachi closed his eyes. His fists stopped shaking. He resolved what he would do right then.

He would leave this place. He knew now…no he had always knew that he would not find what he needed in this place. It was somewhere else. He would not feel happy if he stayed here. All he was here was a prisoner…

He would escape from this hell. From the place he would never get love and affection. He would leave and then he would find the place where he would never be alone.

_Never alone._

He liked the thought of that.

He knew that the pink haired woman probably never existed, but he knew that he would eventually find someone in this world that would treat him like she did in his dreams.

Someone who would love him and give him the affection he had been craving for so long. He **would**find that person.

His eyes opened very slowly and he saw that Juugo was looking at him.

Itachi didn't pause as he abruptly turned around and walked toward the exit of the room. Then he remembered something. Juugo had been on his father's team for almost a decade. Also out of all the people in this place Itachi felt closest to Juugo.

That means he could know if his father ever had known the woman with pink hair.

He didn't turn around when he asked the question.

"Juugo? Did my father ever know a woman with pink hair? With the same colored eyes as me?"

If Itachi had turned around to ask the question, he would have seen the expression on the orange haired man's face change.

It turned to a look of shock.

"No. I do not believe that Sasuke-sama ever knew a girl that meets that description."

Itachi held back a sigh.

"Oh. Okay thanks Juugo."

He continued his walk back to his home knowing that soon he would be free. Soon he would escape. Then he could find what was missing from his heart.

**

* * *

**

**How do I make my heart start healing when it has never stopped beating for you?**

* * *

_A/N: WOOOOO! Another chapter done! CHA! I only have three days of school this week so expect another update soon! _

_The one the only,_

_Halfkyuubikat_


	8. Chapter 8

* * *

_A/N: So for anyone that didn't know, I started the prequel for this story, titled Always Alone. Since this story barley has any romance at all in it, Always Alone will make up for it. And if you're worried that the new story will get in the way of Never Alone, don't. I plan on making two updates for this story before I update one of Always Alone._

_Whatever the case, please enjoy this chapter!! Things will start to get intrusting soon._

_**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto or any of the characters in it._

* * *

**My heart longs for you, **

**my soul dies for you,**

**my eyes cry for you, **

**my empty arms reach out for you.**

* * *

_Nobody knows what the future holds, so when it comes right in front of you and says, "Here I am!" it's hard to believe how much your world has changed._

**XXX**

Ren sat up in the hospital bed, gazing out from the window onto the village below. It was certainly busy this afternoon. It was The streets were crowded with all the people running around, gathering supplies or just chatting away like there was no tomorrow. Then his eyes went farther further out till they reached the small building of the academy.

He sighed at the fact he had already missed three days of school. He would be behind from theall the other kids, not that it would be hard to catch up, since he would probably make up the work he lost in a day's amount of time. It would just be troublesome.

Oh great now he sounded like Ayako Nara. That girl who occasionally visited from Suna, was another one of the few (and when he said few he meant Ayako and Kushina) girls that didn't fawn over him. He remembered once when Kushina had once gone up to her, while all three were playing together, and asked why she didn't like me like all the other girls. Ayako's reply was "It would be too troublesome to."

He snorted at the memory. Oh well not like he would complain or anything. He welcomed any girl that didn't like him that way. Any others were just annoying.

While he contemplated his thoughts, the door to his hospital room, started to slide open. He hopped to see the beautiful face of his mother, with her bright emerald eyes and her long jet black hair, but to his disappointment it was not her.

He was greeted by bright yellow hair that was spiked up in all different directions. Hair that could only possibly belong to one person.

"Hokage-sama." He Ren casually stated said not bothering to bow his head and instead choose to look back outside the window. He heard a snort before from the Rokudaime and a sarcastic reply that made his eye twitch.

"Ren-_Chan._"

He couldn't help but turn his head back toward the Hokage and glare. That's when he caught the smell. He turned his gaze downward to see that the Kage was holding a carry out box that belonged to Ichiraku ramen. He tastes buds went wild.

The Hokage noticed him all but drooling and in response one of his signature grins spread across his face.

"I personally know who much the food sucks here, so I figured I could save you from the horrifying hospital food and instead gift you with the presence of Ichiraku Ramen! Kushina told me your favorite was the beef special."

He placed the Ramen on the stand next to Ren's bed, and Ren all but attacked it. After securing the Ramen in his lap, he snapped the chopsticks apart with his unhurt hand, giving a small "Itakimatsu" and began to gobble his food down.

All right so he admitted it, he was a Ramen addict. He blamed Kushina. All she ever wanted to do was eat was this stuff and it soon began to rub off on him as well, after all since he spent most of his free time with her. Right now the only thing that could make him any happier was-

He reached out on reflex when he saw the blur of red chucked at his face. He caught it on reflex with his hand that had the broken fingers and despite the fact they had already been healed, he winced slightly at the collusion.

He looked down to see that a red tomato was in his hand. All right so now he was in pure bliss. Without hesitation he took a bite from the fruit and enjoyed his favorite food. He was puzzled slightly on how the Hokage could have known that he liked tomatoes, but brushed it off assuming that Kushina had told him.

The Hokage walked over and lazily took a seat next to the academy student. Ren then realized that the Hokage probably wanted to discuss something with him.

He pushed the empty ramen bowl aside that he had devoured in a minute flat and looked at the Hokage. The Hokage looked back at him with his vibrant blue eyes before speaking.

"So Ren, you're going to be released from the hospital tonight right?"

"Hn. Just get on with whatever you want to say Hokage-sama."

He heard a snort and the slight mumble, "Straight forward as always, huh?"

"All right here is the deal Ren, your mother is needed on an Anbu mission. , The mission should be a little less than a week long, and she has requested that you spend the week with me. I accepted of course, so tonight you will come to my house, understand?"

Ren stayed with his emotionless face, but felt the hurt seep into him. Did she leave already? Without saying goodbye? Anger was soon replaced and he when he clenched his still healing fist, which caused him a slight stinging pain.

"Did she leave already?" he attempted not to growl out. It came out more like a strangled gasp.

The Hokage looked slightly taken back, before he let out a roar of laughter. Most likely at the fact that Ren had his teeth ground together and how he had spoken.

"You're such a mamma's boy Ren-_chan_." Ren glare hardened and he found that he wanted to strangle the Hokage. "Of course she wouldn't leave without saying goodbye, baka! She's at the hospital right now with a patient and requested I inform you since she's busy right now. You should know that she would never leave without talking to you, Ren-_Chan_!"

Despite the fact that Ren was still glaring at the Hokage for his continuous gabs at his name he found that relief washed over him, knowing that his mother would never leave without telling him first. He knew that he was foolish for even considering that. She had never done it before and even though he knew that she was very upset and guilty over the fact that she had hurt him, he also knew that she would never leave him alone.

Oh great the Hokage was right, he was a mamma's boy. He would never be able to live this down.

"Well Ren-_Chan_, I have to go now, see you later tonight."

At that moment Ren realized he would have to spend an entire week with this man and he had the sinking feeling that the suffixwould not be dropped off from his name any time soon.

The Hokage stood forward and started walking towards the door, when Ren remembered to ask him a question.

"Hokage-sama, did Kakashi use to be your teacher as well?"

The Rakudaime abruptly stopped walking and turned toward Ren. He seemed totally normal, a smile still spread across his face.

"Yes, he did Ren." His voice was clear and focused, but Ren noticed the slip. He hadn't called him Ren-_Chan_ which meant that he was absolutely serious. Then Ren noticed the Hokage's eyes. They were weary of something.

The Kage continued to walk out of the room and slid the door closed behind him.

The answers were getting closer. He knew now that everyone was hiding something from him. Kakashi on how he had commented like he had known his father. His mother on the way she had reacted a few nights ago after her panic attack. Even the Hokage was in on it. He would not stop till he found just what it was.

**XXX**

"Ren!" he heard the shout from behind him. He walked through the streets of Konoha, his hands in his pockets as he strolled down through the almost barren town toward his home.

He had just been discharged from the hospital a few minutes ago and now was going to his house before he had to head over to the Hokage mansion. The sun was now setting and it cast a beautiful pinkish color on the sky above. He was halfway home when he heard the first shout.

"Ren!"

"Ren, slow down!"

"Stop already baka!!"

"Seriously stop!!!!"

Then suddenly a flash of yellow went appeared in front of his eyes. He stopped only when he saw the furious expression on Kushina's face.

"Why won't you ever stop when I tell you too?!" she shouted in his face.

Her pale lavender eyes that held a few speckles of blue in them flashed in front of him.

"Hn. Annoying." He stated as he started to pass her, knowing that those words would obviously rub her the wrong direction.

Of course he was right.

"Ren-teme!! YourYou're such a jackass!!!" she shouted as she walked at his pace next to himthe same pace he did alongside him. She didn't talk for a few minutes, just walked next to him humming a small tune. Ren knew that just Just like he knew what annoyed her, she knew his weak points as well. After struggling in the agonizing torture of the silence he gave up and spoke to her.

"So what did you want Kushina." He didn't miss the small grin that spread across her face even though she was looking at the ground. She looked up at him before speaking, the smile having vanished.

"I just wanted to hang out with you. I haven't seen you in three days. I mean it's been purely torture without the 'Hn' and 'Aah' coming after my every word."

He rolled his eyes at her statement.

"I'm going to be spending the week at your house Kushina, there is no reason for you to be worried about not seeing enough of me." He smirked while she grimaced.

"Well, actually I don't think I will be seeing a lot of you, in fact I think I might be dead by tomorrow."

Ren stopped at that and turned to face her, his expression filled with worry only to met with her joking one.

"I mean once those fan girls learn that your spending the week at my house they're gonna eat me for breakfast." She giggled out.

He started to walk again and replied with a "Hn."

"Ah! There it is! I was worried you were going to be talking in complete sentences now. I was about to die of shock."

He rolled his eyes as the two continued walking toward his home. This time a comfortable silence fell around them as they walked at the same pace togethercontinued their journey. When he reached his house and, upon seeing the house light on, knowing that his mother was home, he turned toward Kushina and looked at her.

"What not inviting me in?" She jokingly asked him.

He didn't respond to her only continued to watch her with his onyx eyes.

"Ok, Ok I get it. I'm leaving! Dad's right you're such a mamma's boy. See you tonight then Ren. It'll be good to have someone else help me babysit the brats."

She turned and started to walk away before she spoke again.

"And really though you do need listen to me when I call you. It gets really annoying."

"Sorry Kushina, not happening anytime soon." He smirked at her. Her eyes narrowed before she stalked off mumbling, "Stupid Haruno."

He shook his head slightly at his best friend before turning and walking up the steps to his front house.

* * *

**Wanting him is hard to forget, **

**loving him is hard to regret, **

**losing him is hard to accept, **

**but even with all the hurt I've felt, **

**letting go is the most painful yet.**

* * *

_The past can haunt you forever. It can haunt all the future events that take place, all the people you know and the accomplishments you make will only be dragged down to the depths of your heart._

**XXX**

It has already been three days since he made his decision to leave his village. No, this village. He had never belonged here, never seen this place as a home, so it was not his village, instead it was just a village in which he had used to live. He had not acted yet, instead he waited for a day that would most fit his escape. He only had to wait a few more days hours and he would be free.

He had made sure that no one was suspicious of his motives. So he continued to attend the academy during the day, acting like nothing had changed and then trained outside of school with Jugo. Usually he would be forced to train with Suigetsu, but the man that scared Itachi almost as much as his father had went gone on the mission with his father.

He was thankful for that fact since the man with silver hair and pointy teeth, that almost reminded Itachi of a shark, was always strange and scared Itachi. Not that he wasn't one of the nicer ninjas in the village, in fact Itachi liked him almost as much as Jugo. It's just that when the man waved around that giant sword not hesitating to kill Itachi, it terrified him.

Someone Something about that sword and how it looked like it could hack someone's neck off didn't go well with the young boy. It gave him nightmares to give him nightmares all the time.

He sighed as he remembered the dreams that would comfort him after such nightmare filled ones had haunted him for months. Since the last dream of watching the woman's death he had not dreamt of her. The first night afterwards he was almost afraid of dreaming again, in case it was another horrifying one to himin which the pink haired beauty died. When he did eventually fall asleep, no dreams came at all.

The next night it was the same. Last night he had dreamt, but there were no dreams of the woman or of his usual nightmares. It was just a few random events that held no meaning and he could not recall the next morning.

He missed those dreams of her.

It made him feel completed. Like he did belong in this world and that he could actually be loved by others. It reminded him of events when he was much younger. He had never gotten any physical contact with his father for a long time and Itachi rarely saw him during his younger ageyears. For a while he tried to work harder and sussecd succeed even in doing the simplest things, hoping that his father would notice him.

That never happened. So he eventually had concluded that he was unlovable by others. That was the reason his father would not accept him, because it was impossible to. How wrong Itachi had been.

It was the other way around. His father was incapable of loving others.

He sighed briefly wishing he could take back all the times he had curled into a ball in a the corner of his room, crying in hysterics because he thought something was wrong with him. That he was not right, because after watching from the windows of the large house he knew that other fathers did not treat their sons like his father did to him.

No, they loved their sons. They would gladly give their own lives so that their children could survive. So that they may live their lives. Itachi would had never known that feeling. He Itachi figured that if his father had to choose between his own life and Itachi's, Itachi would be dead in a heartbeat.

After all what good was a son that was not a prodigy. ? Sure Itachi was one of the best in his class, but he didn't excel in anything in particular. He was smart but others were smarter. He was good with weapons but not the best. The only thing he was the best at was controlling and maintaining his chakra. The teachers were impressed but when Itachi had told his father, he seemed completely indifferent.

It had made Itachi come to realize that he would never be worth something anything in his father's eyes. It had ripped his heart out. That was around the time the nightmares started coming. A few months after he turned six, about a year ago.

Itachi shut his eyes and rubbed his temples. He had to let go of this now. He had devised a plan over the past few days on what he would do to escape from this village. He had to be completely ready. He knew well that the guards of the village wouldn't just watch as the Otokage's son left the village.

So he would make a distraction first. It also had to be a day when there were fewer Ninja present in the village. He had managed to sneak into the Kage office and look at the papers to see which day that more missions were assigned.

After searching he had found his best chance of escape was tomorrow. There were less Ninja present in the village that day then the rest of the week. Everything had to go completely right. He had only one chance at escaping, because if he was caught trying to escape he would never be allowed out of the sights of anyone less than a Jounin. And then when his father returned…

A cold shiver went down his spine just at the thought of his father's furious face upon learning his only son had tried to run away.

Itachi could see the crimson eyes that stared him down already.

He rubbed the thought away. It would do no good thinking such thoughts. It was pointless as well, because Itachi **would** succeed in escaping. Itachi took a calming deep breath.

Itachi had also needed to make plans on what to do after he had made it from the village gates. He would need to know a general direction . He and he also needed to go opposite of the region his father was on a mission in. So that there was no chance in running into him.

He had asked Jugo where his father was and Jugo admitted he did not know the direct location, only that he was headed far to the west with Suigetsu. Toward the Land of Earth. That made things even better. The fact that his father had not informed others of his location meant that they could not make contact with the Kage. Which meant that they would not be able to inform his father that he had fled until the Kage had returned to the village. Perfect.

Itachi had then looked at a map and thought that it would be best if he headed toward a country called the Land of Fire. It was located south of the Land of Sound and was one of the largest countries where he could safely hide himself.

It would all work out for the best.

"Tomorrow will be the day. Tomorrow means freedom" he repeated to himself as he lay on his bed facing the ceiling. He had been lying there for over six three hours now. It was late at night, probably only a few minutes before midnight. Itachi had said to the maids that he was tired and wished to go to bed early. They would never object, to afraid of retribution from Itachi or his father.

He just looked at roof and tried to fall asleep, but found it was impossible. So instead he had found that just resting was good enough.

He lay there all night thinking about how sweet freedom would taste, when achieved it. Around four o'clock he finally drifted to sleep thinking about the beautiful pink haired woman and all the love she had given him in the depth of his mind.

* * *

**You asked me what was wrong, **

**I smiled and said nothing, **

**when you turned around,**

** a tear came down **

**and I whispered to myself... **

**"everything is."**

* * *

_A/N: Reviews, alerts, and favs are always welcome and appreciated!!_

_~Halfkyuubikat~_


	9. Chapter 9

_A/N: I know I promised a fast update, but I can't help it…I'm lazy. For the next few weeks we have no brakes from school till the first Wednesday of NEXT month. Even then it's just a late arrival. Whoop-de-do, we get to sleep an extra 30 minutes. So I probably will only be updating once a week. So that means, not a lot of story will be coming out. Oh, I also have Always Alone chapter 2 out as well. Yes this is the power of Keyboarding class! I used to be a pecker, but not anymore! Alright sorry for the craziness, I hope you like the chapter!_

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Naruto. (Wow I'm getting really boring with these disclaimers)

* * *

**Hold my hand,**

**just one more time, **

**so I can remind myself **

**why it is that I can't get over you.**

* * *

"Ren!! You're here! Took you long enough to say goodbye to your beloved mother that you soooooooo have a mothers-complex on. Really maybe you should see som-"

Whack.

"Ow!! What did you do that for!?"

"You're annoying."

The blonde haired girl stood fuming at the elder academy student. She rubbed the side of head, while scowling at her best friend. He stood at the front door holding a small bag over his right shoulder, carrying a few changes of clothes he would need while he spent the week at the Hokage's mansion.

Ren started to walk toward the entrance about to step inside the house, when Kushina's face lit up with an evil smile. By the time he realized what she was going to do, it was too late and Ren had walked into a now closed door.

He grabbed his nose and growled out a curse while he heard hysterical laughing on the other side of the door. Then it dropped off suddenly. With his ninja skills he could tell that someone else was at the door now, along with his "best friend" that he wished to strangle.

The door opened revealing a very beautiful woman. Her hair was a raven black, just a little bit of a different color then Ren and his mothers. Her skin was pale and although it was not a sickly color it was very pale for normal people. Her pale lavender eyes much like her daughter's—except the woman lacked the blue tint—flashed a greeting.

Ren did his best to hold down a blush.

"Hello Uzamaki-san." He told her while causally dropping his hand from his aching face.

A smile lit her face, while she rubbed her large stomach with her hands. She motioned Ren to come inside and it was then that he noticed a pouting Kushina standing a little behind her mother.

"It's nice to see you again, Ren." Hinata told the boy while shutting the door behind them.

His mother often told stories about the Ninja in the village. About how they had acted in their genin days and even when they were chunin. When she had told Ren that Kushina's mother had once had stuttered her every word and fainted whenever she had seen the Hokage, he couldn't believe it. For the longest time Ren thought that his mother was lying to him. It was seemingly impossible that this woman who always stood tall and proud had an inferiority problem.

Really, Ren's mother stuttered more than this woman.

His mother had told Ren that she started to change when she met the Hokage and when they started to date her stuttering problem had all but disappeared. His mother said that the Hokage changed a lot of things in this village and with the people.

Like how Hiroshi Hyuga wouldn't be the next head of the clan if the Hokage had changed the laws that had once been. It made Ren look up to the blonde haired man, more than he would ever admit to anyone.

It also made him hopeful to the fact that maybe since the people of the village had once looked down on the Hokage, just like then now did on Ren, that maybe one day he could get everyone to look up to him as well.

His thoughts were broken by the beautiful woman's voice.

"Kushina apologize."

Kushina grunted, glared at Ren for a second, before her usual grin spread across her face. She closed her eyes and scratched the back of her head.

"Sorry Ren. I just thought that with your awesome ninja skills you would have enough sense not to walk into a door. I suppose I should apologize for overestimating your abilities as a ninja. Don't worry, it won't happen again."

Ren shot one of the nastiest glares he could muster at the Uzamaki and for a fleeting moment she actually looked slightly frighten. She even took a step backwards, but that was interrupted when the sound of stampeding footsteps filled the hallway and all three persons present at the doorway turned toward the sound.

In a flash of blonde and raven hair, Ren was thrown down on the ground, while hearing the exciting shouts of,

"Ren nii-san! Ren nii-san!!!"

The two bodies scrambled over the surprised boy who then tried to pry the hands that had wrapped too tightly around his neck. He coughed and sucked in air the second he had managed to escape the hold on his neck.

In the background he heard Kushina giggle and then say "brats."

"Minato! Jiraiya! Get off of Ren!" the boys' mother shouted.

The twin brothers pouted slightly, but stepped off of Ren, who took in a deep breath now that the extra weight had been lifted from his chest.

Minato and Jiraiya were a year and a half younger than Kushina, the tender age of four and a half and had her same loud and wily behavior as well. Both of them had the same pale eyes as their sister and mother, only Minato's eyes were a pale blue, while Jiraiya's were the exact same color as his mother.

Jiraiya quickly recovered from his mother's command.

"Ren nii-san is staying over right! Last time you came over you promised to show me and Minato how to throw weapons!! You're gonna right! Right!"

Man did those two have a lot of energy and the fact that there were two of them made it even worse. Their loud voices started ringing his ears and he couldn't control his eye that started twitching. The fact was he had made that promise so that the two would quiet down, but it seemed to backfire on him now.

Hinata stood up and to Ren's relief, started to usher the twins away from the doorway. His eyes narrowed on her growing stomach and he prayed to Kami that the next baby didn't turn out like its siblings.

Another voice appeared nearby and his attention was immediately drawn to the sound.

"Oba-san, Oji-san says to he needs to talk to you. He wants you right away."

Ren's eyes narrowed, when he looked at the boy standing in the hallway.

"Oh, okay Hiroshi. Kushina make sure your brothers don't get into a lot of trouble, wait, actually put them upstairs for bed and show Ren where he will be staying this week." Hinata told her daughter as she started walking upstairs to where he husband's office was.

Kushina openly sulked and muttered something about life being unfair. She abruptly turned around to face her cousin. (**A/N: I know there not cousins, but they're close enough in my book**)

"Hey Hiroshi, would you mind if you took Ren to his room. You know the one. I have to take care of the brats." She smirked at me, knowing that Ren and Hiroshi didn't get along that well. He barley heard the twins shout in protest at what their sister called them.

Not allowing her cousin an answer, she turned on the spot grabbing her brothers' hands and started to skip down the hallway for her brother's room.

Hiroshi grunted before he turned down a different hallway and started to walk down it. Ren who thought the Hyuga was refusing to show him his room didn't make an effort to follow the other boy.

Hiroshi stopped turning his head around slightly so he could look at Ren with his pale eyes.

"Are you coming or what?" Then Hiroshi proceeded to continue down the hallway. Ren growled slightly at the boy's attitude, but followed them all the same.

To tell the story on how the two prodigies had ended up disliking each other would be a long one. The run down was that they competed against each other in almost everything. Neither would be satisfied until they conquered the other.

Hiroshi automatically won in weaponry, but that was because his mother was the best weapon handler in Konoha. So she taught her son, everything that she knew, which automatically gave him an advantage in that area. But Ren excelled in almost everything else. He and Kushina were the top students of the grade. But despite the advantages and disadvantages the two boys never let up in their competition.

Kushina thought it was hilarious. She often made little innuendos that would eventually lead the two to end up fighting, which in turn gave her a big laugh.

Ren didn't want to make conversation with the boy, but he couldn't help wonder why he was here. And more importantly would he be here all week. After a quick debate in his mind, he casually spoke through the silence.

"Why are you here?"

His mother would have scolded him for his direct tone, but she had left on her mission and was probably out Konoha by now, so he had no reason to be worried.

"My Dad and Mom are out on a quick mission and wished that Oba-san watched me until they returned."

For a horror filled second, Ren thought that Hitoshi's parents had gone on the same mission his mother was on, which would lead the two boys ending up having to spend all week together. He scowled at the thought.

"Their coming back in the morning, so I should be gone way before I have to see you again." Hiroshi stopped then and pointed to a door, before walking off again.

Ren didn't bother to watch the boy to leave and instead he opened the door to the room and threw his bag on the bed. He then stood in the entryway without moving further into the room.

How on earth was he supposed to survive a week with the Uzamaki family?

At that moment his stomached growled, sending his mind track onto a new direction. He figured that he might as well head for the kitchen and grab something to eat. Well, 'something' would probably end up being ramen, since that was the favorite food of most of the inhabitants, but he wouldn't object to some miso ramen right now.

Turning around from his room, he started to head toward the kitchen. He knew where it was since whenever he came over to the Hokage's house that was where Kushina dragged him to first.

He assumed that Kushina would figure that if he wasn't in his room, he had gone to the kitchen. He had no worries about that since Kushina was the brightest kid in school. While he was walking down the hallway, he heard some noises coming from a room with an open door.

He walked over it and peaked inside, before he turned his head in a different direction with a slight blush on his face at the sight. The room was the Hokage's office he realized at that moment. The Hokage had his wife in a loving embrace one of his hands cupping her face gently, while the other was placed on her belly. She smiled sweetly at him, murmuring a quiet "I love you."

The blonde haired man leaned down and placed his lips on his wife's and pulled her closer to him. He broke away for a moment, whispering "I love you too, Hinata," before he kissed her gently again.

Ren turned away from the sight at that moment. He silently walked away from the scene realizing it was getting too personal. Also he didn't want to be caught and thought of as a peeping tom. Kushina would never let him breathe in peace again.

He continued to the kitchen, where he started to prepare some cup ramen. When it was ready to eat he sat down on a chair and started to munch on the noodles. His mind wandered back to the scene he had just witnessed, except this time the couple was replaced with a different set of people.

He saw his mother's gentle warm face, smiling at the man he didn't know. She placed a loving hand on her large belly and the faceless figure did the same. He gently pulled away some of the black hair that fell around her face, pushing some of it behind her ear. She smiled back up at him. Then she whispered the words, 'I love you.' He said the same words back to her, and despite the fact Ren did not know what the man looked like he could envision his eyes full of love toward his mother.

Then the two leaned in to kiss each other, holding each other in a sweet embrace.

To Ren he could clearly imagine his family like that at one time, before his father's death on what he assumed to be a mission.

But what Ren did not know was that this scene never existed and deep down he knew it didn't. It was a false hope. A false dream.

* * *

**Frustrated because I can't tell if it's real. **

**Mad because I don't know how you feel. **

**Upset because we can't make it right.**

**Sad because I need you day and night.**

**Angry because you won't take my hand. **

**Aggravated because you don't understand. **

**Disappointed because we can't be together, **

**but still I'll love you forever.**

* * *

The late-morning light woke Itachi up from his slumber. He sat up in his bed after spending another dreamless night. He scratched his eyes, rubbing away the sleep. His stretched his arms out, before the thought finally hit him.

He was going to escape.

Today.

Right now.

Tension built up in his stomach, sending butterflies all around him. He stood up and pulled out some of his ninja clothes. He changed out of his bed clothes and got into the outfit.

He wore black khaki shorts and a black shirt with a few tints of blue on it. He put on white wrappings around his right arm, almost all the way up to his elbow and on his left hand, put on a black glove that had the finger holding cut off. Then he placed his black sandals on.

He decided against bringing any other clothing with him, since if someone saw him walking around town toward the gates carrying a bundle with him, they were sure to get suspicious.

He had contemplated for a while, whether or not to leave at night or during the day. He decided that the day would be the best time. Itachi was allowed to walk around the village during the day and even go outside of it as long as he didn't stray too far from the entryway.

No one would question him if he just walked out. Wearing his ninja outfit, they would probably assume he went to his favorite training grounds.

In was the perfect day to escape. It was a Saturday and there was no school or training with Jugo. Many of the Ninja were absent from the village; out on missions.

He looked outside the window and saw that it was storming out. Rain pattered against the side of the house and the tree branches groaned as they were blew side to side by the strong wind. He heard the distant thunder nearby and then a few seconds later a flash of light filled the sky.

He couldn't help but smile at how perfect this day was. It was like Kami itself supported his escape. He hoped that everything would keep this pace of good luck.

He walked down stairs and started to head toward the kitchen.

"Uchiha-sama. Would you like some food?"

Itachi watched as a pretty maid asked him this question. He hesitated slightly, not used to people directly talking to him. He sucked in a breath and smiled at the maid.

"Yeah, some tomatoes would be nice."

In all honesty, Itachi was not hungry since his stomach hadn't settled down since he had woken up, but he doubted that he would able to eat anything once he was on the run from the village. The woman nodded and started to walk toward the kitchen.

"W-Wait!" he hesitantly asked.

The maid turned around again and looked back at him.

"Can I get some anko dumplings too?"

"Of course Uchiha-sama."

**XXX**

As he walked away from the empty building, he couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face. He was only minutes away from his escape. Itachi would no longer be a prisoner to other people's wills. He would make his own path and find his own strength.

He wouldn't have to watch his father's disappointment at how he won't the best of the class. How he hadn't unlocked the Sharigan yet despite how hard he tried to. He trained hour after hour searching for the strength to allow himself that power. Itachi couldn't count all the hours he devoted toward his training. After a year of that training he stopped trying to get his father's attention. He stopped trying to activate his Sharigan.

Itachi realized that his father would not give him the attention he wanted so badly.

_Stop it. Don't think about the past any longer. Soon you will have escaped it completely._

He continued walking down the damp streets. No one was outside since it was storming outside. He walked without any interruption toward the gates that would allow him the freedom he had been waiting for since a few days ago. No that was wrong. He has been waiting for freedom for years.

And there it stood right in front of him.

He looked at the oversized gates that stood only a few feet in front of him. As he looked up the sky rained down on him soaking his face. His hair grew wet and his bangs stuck to the sides of his face. He then turned his face downward and saw his reflection on the surface of a puddle.

His green eyes were determined.

His breath caught in his throat when he was reminded once again of the girl who haunted his dreams for the past month. He would never have found the courage in himself to leave if it had not been for her.

He would not have become so determined to escape if he had not know what it truly felt like to be loved by another being. Now he was determined to find that feeling once again. From a real person not just an imaginary dream world.

He looked at the guard stand and saw just one lowly Chunin, looking utterly bored as he sat underneath the hood that protected him from the rain.

Itachi started walking past the gates and didn't cast a glance at the guard. The man briefly lifted his head up to watch him pass, but after seeing who it was that was leaving through the gates laid his head back and let out a long sigh.

Itachi made it pass the man without being stopped and then continued to walk until he was knew he was far pasts the man's sight. Without a second glance toward his father's village he put chakra into the heels of his feet and then started sprinting southward toward the Fire country.

He ran without fail through the tops of the trees hitting each branch without a fault in his step. Soon enough he was quite a few miles from the village. He didn't stop running for a moment. He took no brakes in fear that if he was discovered soon enough a hoard of Ninja would be sent after him.

After about an hour's worth of running, in the very distant background he heard a booming sound. It was then the sound of crackling. He didn't need to turn around to know that his planted bomb had been sent off. He had made it especially for this moment. He was a very smart student even if he lacked a specialty in any one area.

It would spread fire quickly even with the rain and although it would be no problem to put out it would take an hour or so. He had set the bomb on an abandoned building in a district that didn't house many people nearby. No one would be put in danger, which is something he definitely wouldn't do even if it meant he wouldn't be able to escape.

But luckily there was the abandoned section of town that wouldn't pose a threat to anyone in particular. The fire would seem just to be an accident or one that was started by some bad kids that wanted to prank someone.

No one would notice the missing Uchiha for quite some time. He knew the Chunin that was bored will defiantly chose to help stop the fire, since anything is better than guard duty. He wouldn't notice that Itachi never returned to the village.

So he suspected it wouldn't be till the next morning when it was first discovered he was not in his house and then a few more hours until they realized he was not in the village. By the time they realized he had left on his own free will it would be all but impossible to locate him.

Any trackers wouldn't be able to scent him because the rain would wash his scent away completely.

No one would be able to know where he had headed toward. They wouldn't know where to start his search. They wouldn't be able to find him and they wouldn't be able to notify his father that his son was missing since no one knew exactly where the Otokage was completely his mission.

No one would find him. No one would stop him.

He was free.

* * *

**Maybe they are right. Maybe I did get my hopes up too high. Maybe I was in over my head. Maybe I am the stupid one for ever thinking that you loved me, but maybe, just maybe, I am tired of being alone.**

* * *

_A/N: Sorry for any grammar mistakes. Remember review, fav, and alerts are loved to death!! Really! They are! So please do not deprive me of them!_

_~Halfkyuubikat~_


	10. Chapter 10

_A/N: …Sakura's confession……..poor Naruto. Sakura stop trying to help you make things worse! Gezz! (-cough-But there is still the tiniest thread of hope for SasuSaku fans! Yay!-cough-) Ne! Naruto I shall comfort you!_

_Thanks to all the fav's that were given to me!!! I want to thank everyone who has reviewed, fav'd, and alerted my story!!! It makes me really happy and want to continue writing!! Anyway, here's the next chapter!! _**_Important!!! Read the note at the end of the chapter!!!_ **

_Next Update: __Always Alone__ Chapter 3_

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or the characters involved with it. Ren and Itachi are mine though!!!

* * *

**It really hurts when you expected  
so much more from the person  
you once loved so much.**

* * *

As she walked toward the gates, a heavy sigh on her lips, she couldn't help, but regret having accepted this mission in the first place. She felt as if a huge mistake had been taken. Sure at first she thought it was a good idea to walk up to her best friend and beg for a mission. She didn't want to look into the eyes of the son, whom she had told herself, again and again that she would protect, when she had been responsible for his pain. His injuries had been caused by her.

Sakura had been desperate not to have to face her son for many reasons, but after she was able to understand after the horror of hurting him that her son would still forgive her, made her just want to be by his side apologizing for everything. And 'everything' included a lot more then what had happened three days ago.

She shuddered and continued walking, until at last she reached the oversized entry. She paused for a moment tightening her black gloves on her fingers, causing a snapping sound to commence. She took a head band to tie her now black hair up into a high ponytail.

She remembered the day she went to the store and purchased the black dye. It was about a month after the attack on Konoha by sound. Everyone was unusually quiet and seemed stressed. Naruto had taken care of things well and started rebuilding Konoha days after the attack. But not even a Hokage that everyone loved, could stop the suspension that grew in the air.

And it all lead back to one place; the pink-haired Kunoichi. Even with all the destruction it didn't take long for people to notice that one of the twins that had been given birth by Sakura had disappeared. Then it had taken even a shorter amount of time to come to the conclusion of why the Sound had just suddenly attacked the village and had took away the lives of innocent people.

Everyone had been suspicious of the twins when they were born. They looked a little too familiar to the Missing-nin that had once lived in Konoha. They had pushed it aside, since they had no proof to support the rumors. But when one of the twins had suddenly disappeared during the attack, people came to the conclusion on why the Sound would suddenly for no apparent reason lead a full on scale attack on the village.

They were even more nervous and weary when they realized that there was still one twin present. If it had not been for Naruto she was sure that the village and some of the less supportive Ninjas' would have taken her and Ren right up to the Sound village gates offering them as a sacrifice.

She sighed wearily when she heard her name being called.

"Sakura!!!"

She lifted her head up and noticed the other four Anbu members and the rest of the group waving her over. She let out a very small smile that lasted a few seconds and she nearly had to force herself to produce that much.

The group of Anbu included the following:

Sakura Haruno

Ino Yamanaka

Choji Akimichi

Kiba Inuzuka and Akamaru

Rock Lee

All three of them were some of the top Anbu and well known in strength and agility, the obvious reason Naruto had placed the team together. It was supposed to be the five going, but when Sakura asked Naruto for a mission he placed her on the team as well.

Ino ran up quickly to Sakura and pulled her into a hug, giggling at the fact her best friend was placed on the team.

"Sakura," Ino had dropped the nickname 'Forehead girl' a little less than eight years ago, "I'm so happy you're coming with us! I was afraid for a moment that I would be left alone with this group of idiots! And I was really upset when I had to leave Akiko and Arata at home with my parents!"

"Ino…"

"I mean it's so unfair that they have to be by themselves! Stupid Naruto! Why do both Sai and I have to be on missions? I swear he never thinks past that—"

"Ino."

"—thick headed skull of his! What did Hinata ever see in him anyways? At least Kushina was blessed a genius since birth, because can you imagine another block headed Naruto? It would be pure torture, not to mention—"

"INO!!" the entire group interrupted her this time and she stopped blabbering while a tint of pink touched her cheeks.

"You ask what Hinata sees in Naruto? Ever think what Sai saw in you, baka…" Kiba whispered under his breath. Luckily Ino didn't catch what he said.

"Eh, sorry Sakura, you know how I get sometimes." She whispered at Sakura while the group started preparing to head out of the village.

Kiba shook his head is exasperation before he turned to Sakura with a smile alighting his face.

"Hey Sakura, how's little Ren doing?"

Sakura flinched and Choji who at the time was munching on a bag of chips, reached out and smacked Kiba on the head with the underside of his hand. Ino turned and glared. Rock Lee at the moment had not been paying attention and instead was plucking some pedals from a flower, mumbling something to himself.

Kiba growled out toward the group, before he lifted his hands in the air in apology and called the team to head out. They all placed their Anbu masks on their faces concealing their identities from others.

As the males of the group prepared to start heading toward where their mission would begin—the Land of Earth—Ino hesitantly reached out and touched a strand of Sakura's dyed hair. She brushed the black color with her fingertips for a moment before letting the hair fall back down among the rest of the raven hair.

Sakura looked at Ino with a puzzled expression, despite the cat mask that covered her face. She tilted her head to the side, questioning her friend.

"Ah, well…I like your old hair color better. Black doesn't suit you as much." Ino mumbled before she shot off toward the trees running in the direction of Iwagakure, following the other members who had disappeared into the forest.

Sakura watched her friend vanished into the trees. She sighed again, standing for a few minutes alone, before she leaped into the tops of the trees and with an extra push of chakra caught up to the rest of the team in under a minute.

As they raced through the tree tops, despite how hard she tried to resist it, she started to recall old memories that at the current time, she would rather not relive. But it was so hard to avoid such thoughts when your mind could freely wander in such instances. Her traitorous thoughts drifted to the face of her child, and she remembered how he passed out after she attacked him. That memory trigged her thoughts to the dream she had that had caused her to lash at her son and she shivered involuntary.

She could remember the touch of his skin as he threw her against the wall…

His harsh movements as he roughly thrust into her…

His voice while he started to taunt her…

His blood red eyes that watched her every squirm…

"_Sakura…"_

_Thrust._

"_Sakura…guess what?"_

_Thrust._

_Scream._

"_I'm coming for Ren."_

Suddenly it seemed a very bad idea to leave Ren alone.

**XXX**

The mission had just been completed a few hours ago and despite Sakura and Ino's desperation to return home to Konoha, the rest of the team wanted to go out and drink for a little bit. After a little of work the men had managed to get Ino to agree to come along as well.

Sakura decided she would hang around Iwagakaru's shops and find something for Ren. She tried her best to keep herself busy walking through the streets, but the 'walking' was more of a pacing. She had masked her chakra so that she would not draw any attention from the ninja walking around the village.

Sakura felt sick to her stomach. The mission was now complete and they would be returning home soon, but it didn't stop her heart from beating fast and her intake of quick worried breaths.

All she wanted now was to be home and see for herself that her son was safe. She needed to see with her eyes that he was fine and _he _had not taken away the other half of her heart. Naruto's comfort at the hospital had calmed her irrational mind down, but now she was able to find faults everywhere.

Sure she had dyed her hair so that it wouldn't reach Sasuke wherever he was that she had survived the attack. It wasn't all that hard to hide herself now that her vibrant pink hair was gone. Also Ren would assume that he obtained his hair and eyes both from her and make him question her less about his father, so it helped both ways. But despite precautions and careful tactics she could never quenched the fear that haunted her.

If _he_ did find out that she was alive and that she had hidden his other son from him…nothing would stop his fury. She believed that Naruto would do everything in his power to protect Ren, but she also knew if he had to choose between his pregnant wife and children or Ren, the decision would not change from seven years ago.

That increased her need to return home and see her son. The fear was slowly consuming her. It had been for the last seven years.

Fear that haunted her dreams and mind.

After that dream awakening to the same blood red eyes had caused her to panic in fear. The last time she had awoken to those eyes…

_Stop it!!! Don't think like that! You need to focus your thoughts on different things, don't bring that up. Yeah look over there! I think Ren would like that._

She followed the point of her inner and gazed at a small kunai knife in the window of a shop. On a sign next to it, it stated 'Personalize your Kunai.' She thought for a moment and then walked toward the shop and stopped once she was standing in front of the shop's window. She saw her reflection through the shiny glass and she gently reached a hand to touch the green eyes on the window.

She stood that way for a while, past memories running past her in a flurry. In an attempt to stop the thoughts she shut her eyes close and turned away from the window and then stepped to the door, opened it and disappeared inside.

At that moment she walked toward the store with the intent to purchase a new kunai knife for Ren, a raven haired man walked pass that street with a complaining man who had an almost shark-like appearance to him.

"What the hell Sasuke? Why do we have to stop in a lame'o village for anyway? Can't we just finish this mission quickly as possible, why the hell are we in this village for? Don't tell me you want to stop at some whore hous—"

The silver haired man abruptly stopped talking when he felt the murderous intent coming from his partner. He increased the distance between them and instead his eyes flashed back and forth throughout the city. He watched a few of the girls eyes linger on the raven haired man walking now 6 feet away from him.

He let out a sigh.

No girl ever looked at him like that, it was starting to get annoying the lack of attention he was getting. The jackass could care less of the woman that looked at him. No girl was good enough for the ice-block.

_There was one…_

Another sigh escaped Suigetsu lips. Sasuke never ceased his pace and continued to walk forward. Suigetsu stopped and placed his hands in his pockets. He watched his partner disappear down a different street, but didn't attempt to follow him. Instead he stood in the streets until after a while his eye's lazily dragged over to a store window.

A woman was standing in front of it and though he didn't really care much about it, something made him look at the reflection.

Emerald Eyes.

His whole body turned toward the store in shock, but was released when he watched the woman walk into the store and was able to really notice that there was no pink hair alighting the woman's head.

He still stood and watched her disappear into the store and for a moment he remembered the bright smile of a dead woman.

_Once there was a girl…_

He sighed again and walked forward to catch up to the bastard of a partner he had.

* * *

**My heart was taken by you... **

**broken by you... **

**and now it is in pieces because of you.**

* * *

Exhausted was all he could say of what he was feeling.

Pure exhaustion.

His lungs burned and the need for air left him gasping in short breaths. His legs were sore and blisters were probably all over his feet. Yet he didn't cease his speed.

He had been ruining for three days straight. He knew now that he had long since left the boundaries of Sound and was now in the Land of Fire, but that did nothing to calm him. His pace never ceased despite the protests that overtook him.

He looked into the early morning sky, the light just starting to take over the rim of sky. He had run all night with no brakes. It felt humanly impossible, but he had done it.

He only took a few brakes in his flight. He ran in the dark of night, determined to make it so not one Sound ninja would be able to locate him. Finally he stopped. He felt light headed and the need for sleep overtook everything.

He located a tree with a large enough branch that he could rest his body on top. He didn't worry about concealing his chakra since it was almost completely drained, nobody would be able to sense his chakra for a few hours. He dropped his body on top of the branch and with little effort the exhaustion that had been haunting him for the last three days overtook his body causing him to slip into a deep sleep.

**XXX**

"Itachi…" a voice broke through the dark.

He snapped his head up looking around the darkness, searching for the sign of the person that controlled that beautiful voice. He saw nothing in the total blackness.

"Where are you?!" he shouted at nothing in particular.

He heard a giggle from behind him.

He whipped his body around and faced from where he was sure the noise had come from. Again he saw nothing but the black. He searched frantically for some sign of the pink haired woman, but found nothing.

"Where are you!" he demanded.

This time no voice broke through the dark.

"Please!!! I need to find you." He shouted again, this time his voice was pleading. He was begging for her to appear before him.

"This way, Itachi." Her voice called from far in front of him. It was more of an echo than her actual call.

He didn't hesitate in his running forward. It felt strange the last thing he remembered was his legs that were in pain and his aching lungs, but now he felt refreshed and healthy. He ran for a while, but stopped once there no further calling for him.

His eyes flashed back and forth, but nothing was seen.

"WHERE ARE YOU!?"

"You're so close Itachi." Her velvet voice rang from his left. He turned and ran faster than before determined to locate her.

"You're almost there." And she was right because this now he could hear her clearly. An echo no longer, but the real thing only a few more minutes in front of him.

Minutes that felt like hours.

"Hurry Itachi."

He pushed forward even faster and then he saw her.

In the darkness, she was the light.

A halo surrounded her very body and relief washed through him completely at the sight of her angelic appearance. Her pink hair beautifully framed her face.

He didn't feel strained at all, even with how desperately and fast he had raced toward her. He closed the distance between them until he was right in front of her.

She smiled at him.

"You're so close Itachi."

He shook his head to the side in confusion.

"I'm right here." He said and to emphasize his point he reached out and touched her hand. She grabbed his hand and entwined their fingers.

"Almost there Itachi." She released his hand at that point and slowly turned around a walked away from him. He walked after her, running to her side.

"I am here!" He reached for her again, but this time she pulled her arm away from his grasp. She smiled brightly at him.

"All you have to do now Itachi is wake up."

He froze.

She continued walking for a while until she was a few feet in front of him. Only then did she turn around.

He watched as suddenly another presence appeared next to her.

Him.

He looked at the exact reflection of himself holding the woman's hand. She gently stroked the boys cheek, before turning back to face Itachi.

"All have you to do is wake up and you can be here too." She spoke while that same smile alight her face for what seemed the hundredth time.

He was confused again.

"I am there!!" he shouted toward her though he knew she could very clearly hear him. He pointed at his reflection.

"Wake up now Itachi."

She turned around in hand with himself and started to walk away.

"Wait who are you?!?! Don't go!" Itachi started to beg and plead with the woman, praying to Kami that she would return to him. He didn't want to see his reflection next to her. No he wanted to be there. He was jealous of himself.

Especially since he didn't feel like the person clutching her soft hand was him. No it felt like a different person, yet he looked just like him.

She paused and turned her head slightly.

"Aren't they beautiful?" she asked.

"What? What are you talking about?" he struggled to move after her, but that same power that he had come to despise was taking over his body again. He started to feel light headed.

She giggled.

"The cherry blossoms silly!"

And with that she disappeared.

**XXX**

"Argh! I just want to go home and see Sai. Man, this mission took way too long."

"It has only been six days. Get over it Ino."

"Hey just because I have someone to go home to doesn't mean you can act all bitchy to me, Kiba!!"

Itachi snapped his eyes open. It had taken him a few minutes for the sleep to break free of him, but now he was clearly aware of the voices that were coming from a few hundred feet behind him. He shot up forward and stilled himself, careful not to make any sounds from his spot on the top of the tree.

At this time he took in his surroundings.

It was still light out, but the darkness was around. Then he noticed the sun coming up from the horizon. It was rising.

He had slept the entire day and night.

Fear spread through him. What if these people were searching for him? He realized that his chakra had been replenished and he quickly worked to conceal it. He then used what had been taught to him in his academy days to listen for the sounds to observe the approaching force.

He sat quietly and after a minute he was able to sense of two sets of human steps and one that seemed to belong to some type of animal that walked on all fours. The two human ones he was sure belonged to the voices he had heard before. He waited quietly at the tops of the tree he had slept in.

"I am not acting Bitchy Ino. Geez you're so annoying, I mean really." The male voice spoke again.

He was answered by a high and shrilly voice. Not appealing at all in Itachi's ears.

"Shut up Kiba! Wait, where the hell are you going!?"

In that same second, he heard a whoosh of air from behind him. Before he could even turnaround he was thrown all the way to the ground with his face implanted into the dirt. His arms were gripped behind his back, held by an oversized hand.

Then he felt something giant placed on his back and by the animalist growl he assumed it to be a dog.

"Kiba what are you- oh!" the same shrilled voice spoke.

"I smelled him up in the tree, hiding there," he paused and Itachi cursed himself for thinking he could evade other senses. These people were obviously ninja.

"What are you doing here? Spying perhaps?"

"He can't speak idiot! And look at his size, he's just a kid! Maybe he just snuck out of the academy. Where only a few hours from the village!" the woman spoke again.

Itachi heard a slight sniffing sound.

"He's not from the village I can sme—" A pause and this time the sniffing was stronger.

"Wait, what the hell?"

"What is it Kiba?" the girl asked again. Itachi was starting to find her increasingly annoying.

Suddenly he was flipped over onto his back and stared into the shocked faces of two people.

The woman gasped.

"Ren?!"

* * *

**How can I promise you forever when tomorrow is so far away from me?  
How can I dry your tears when I have a bleeding heart inside of me?  
How can I ever forget you when your name is etched so deep within me?**

**

* * *

_A/N: All right guys, I'm either going to re-edit the first 9 chapters of Never Alone and improve them or I will wait to do that latter and devote my time to writing the next chapters. If I edit them, I won't have an update for Never Alone or Always Alone for a few weeks (at most 2 or 3 weeks). I'm going to put up a poll and I would like you to vote for the editing or the continuing. If I don't get a lot of votes, I'm going to edit, so voice your opinions!!! The poll will be closed in one week after I put the update for Always Alone up._**

_Thanks always!!!_

_~Halfkyuubikat~_

_P.S. Don't forget to review!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! –tearyeyes- pease?_


	11. Author's Note

Uh, sorry not an update.

If you want to see the reason for the latness of my updates read the top of my profile! (Please do)

Also vote at my poll! (If you want this story updated faster I suggest you do it! That or PM me!)

Thankz a bunch!

~Halfkyuubikat


	12. Children Info Sheet

A/N: Information sheet! It's to help out with all you guys understanding of who's who. I will have the chapter out by tomorrow!!! My computer is going to be back in my hands then. I just have to do a loud of chores today and then BAM! I get it back from my Hitler Mother. YAH!

I did this on my home computer.

* * *

**Name:** Ren Haruno

**Gender:** Male

**Age:** 7 (Birthday: December 21[aka: The day the world ends])

**Parents:** Haruno Sakura & Uchiha Sasuke

**Siblings:** Itachi Uchiha

**Hair:** Black, raven color

**Eyes:** Emerald Green to Red (w/ Sharigan)

**Notes: **Looks exactly like Sasuke and his twin brother. Activated Sharigan at age 5 when his home was attacked by rouge ninja. Protective of his mother. Personality is much like Sasuke's. First Born of the Twins.

* * *

**Name:** ____ Haruno to Itachi Uchiha (I'm surprised none of you guys ever asked about his name before Sasuke took him. He obviously was called something. I will tell you his real name will play a HUGE part in the story so I can't tell you…lol)

**Gender:** Male

**Age:** 7 (Birthday: December 21 [aka: The day the world ends])

**Parents: **Haruno Sakura & Uchiha Sasuke

**Siblings:** Ren Haruno

**Hair:** Black, raven color

**Eyes:** Emerald Green

**Notes:** Looks exactly like Sasuke and his twin brother. Has not activated his sharigan yet. Longs for attention from his father and seeks to be loved by a mother. Personality is more like Sakura. Second Born of the twins.

* * *

**Name:** Kushina Uzumaki

**Gender:** Female

**Age:** 6 (Birthday: January 8 [Same birthday as grandfather and granduncle]

**Parents:** Hyuga Hinata & Uzumaki Naruto

**Siblings:** Jiraiya Uzumaki, Minato Uzumaki, and Unborn Child

**Hair:** Bright Blonde, long with spike to it.

**Eyes:** Pale Lavender w/ light blue color

**Notes:** Best Friend of Ren Haruno. Acts like Naruto. Is known as the Uzumaki Prodigy, since she is classified under the title 'Genius' since age four. For this reason was placed in the grade above her and thus ended up in Ren's class.

* * *

**Name:** Jiraiya Uzumaki

**Gender:** Male

**Age: **Four and half (Birthday: November 11 [Jiraiya 1's birthday. Naruto made the comment 'I guess it's fate for him to be given this name.')

**Parents:** Hyuga Hinata & Uzumaki Naruto

**Siblings:** Kushina Uzumaki, Minato Uzumaki, and Unborn Child

**Hair:** Blonde, Straight and ends at shoulder.

**Eyes:** Pale Lavender

**Notes:** Acts Like Naruto. It can be stated that he already has the ladies wrapped around his finger (his age and older) and his father said. "He will be a heartbreaker." Hasn't entered the academy yet. First born of the twins.

* * *

**Name:** Minato Uzumaki

**Gender:** Male

**Age:** Four and half (Birthday: November 11)

**Parents:** Hyuga Hinata & Uzumaki Naruto

**Siblings:** Kushina Uzumaki, Jiraiya Uzumaki, and Unborn Child

**Hair: **Raven, spiked and short. Naruto style.

**Eyes**: Pale Blue

**Notes:** Acts like Naruto. Hasn't entered the academy yet. Second born of the twins.

* * *

**Name:** Hiroshi Hyuga

**Gender:** Male

**Age:** 7 (Birthday: February 14)

**Parents:** TenTen & Hyuga Neji

**Siblings:** None at the moment. Though his mother would like a daughter, so *winkwink* it could be possible for one to come along.

**Hair:** Brown and short.

**Eyes: **Pale Lavender

**Notes:** Has an ongoing rivalry with Haruno Ren. Will be the child to inherit the Hyuga household when he is older.

* * *

**Name:** Akiko Yamanaka

**Gender:** Female

**Age: **5 (Birthday: January 9)

**Parents:** Yamanaka Ino & Sai

**Siblings: **Arata Yamanaka

**Hair:** Blonde and rather short. Always has hair in a bun.

**Eyes:** Black

**Notes:** Born out of wedlock. Her parents were married month after her birth. Reason being "I would much rather give birth without a husband then get married fat and pregnant!" She has a calm attitude and acts more like Sai then her mother. Has a crush on both Uzumaki Jiraiya and Haruno Ren.

* * *

**Name:** Arata Yamanaka

**Gender:** Male

**Age:** 3 (Birthday: March 5[That's my birthday!])

**Parents:** Yamanaka Ino & Sai

**Siblings:** Akiko Yamanaka

**Hair:** Black

**Eyes:** Crystal Blue

**Notes:** Is quiet most of the time and would rather doodle in his art notebook than play with other kids. He loves to cooler. Naruto once said, "That kid's going to be gay." After sustaining multiple bruises and a broken arm from Ino, he doesn't say anything about the kid's sexual orientation.

* * *

**Name:** Ayako Nara

**Gender: **Female

**Age:** 6 in a half (Birthday: October 8)

**Parents:** Temari & Nara Shikamaru

**Siblings:** Asuma Nara & Hatsune Nara

**Hair:** Brown and in single ponytail

**Eyes:** Brown

**Notes:** Acts like Shikamaru. One of two girls that doesn't act fan-girl around Ren. She thinks of him and Kushina as her closest friends in Konoha. Travels between Suna and Konoha often. Her parents are about to make a final move to Konoha very soon.

* * *

**Name:** Asuma Nara

**Gender:** Male

**Age:** 4 (Birthday: April 9)

**Parents:** Temari & Nara Shikamaru

**Siblings: **Ayako Nara & Hatsune Nara

**Hair:** Brown

**Eyes:** Brown and short (no ponytail)

**Notes:** Lazy, Lazy, Lazy. He takes this meaning to a whole new level. Worse than his sister he would rather just spend his days sleeping then doing anything.

* * *

**Name:** Hatsune Nara

**Gender:** Female

**Age:** Newborn (Birthday: March 18)

**Parents:** Temari & Nara Shikamaru

**Siblings:** Ayako Nara & Asuma Nara

**Hair:** Dirty Blonde

**Eyes: **Brown

**Notes:** The 'mistake' child. The Nara's planned to only have two children (to stay on track with Shikamrau's plan for life), but uh…lets just say things got….hot. And BAM, they get ready to have their third child. Unlike her siblings it can already be noted that she's going to be an exact copy of her mother. Loud and active.

* * *

**Name:** Tsubaki Yūhi

**Gender:** Female

**Age:** 9 (Birthday: August 23)

**Parents:** Yūhi Kurenai & Sarutobi Asuma

**Siblings:** None

**Hair:** short black spiked hair

**Eyes:** Kurenia's (I don't know how to describe them)

**Notes:** Her father was killed before her birth and so instead she was raised by her mother alone. Her mother often makes the comment, "It's really weird that I'm an old forty year old and my students have children three years younger than mine….what has the world come to." Tsubaki is about to graduate from the academy in the next year. Has a crush on Haruno Ren, despite him being younger than her.

* * *

A/N: Again my readers. I will have all **3** updates by tomorrow! I can't wait for my computer to be back in my arms! *squee*


	13. Chapter 11

A/N: I haven't stopped writing this story…I just got a little….distracted per say? Plus I was stuck in a world where no ideas were coming for this story.

Yeaaaahhhhh…

But now they are! Whoot! I will probably have a lot more updates coming down the road.

If you haven't read my profile yet, do!

I have a **poll **up so please if you would vote in it. From now on here is the update order for my stories.

(1). My Best Friend's Imouto

(2). My True Love's Kiss (after MBFI is completed)

(3). Never Alone

(4). Always Alone

(5). The Only

(6). Awake

(7). New Story (Undecided)

My Best Friend's Imouto only has one more update after chapter 3, Awake is a one-shot, and The Only is 3 chapters long. So basically after those I only have three stories to focus on plus the one that I will start and can be chosen in my poll

Also check out my other story that was updated, **Promised**. **My Best Friend's Imouto **should be updated in a couple days.

**Disclaimer:** ….I have nothing to say…

* * *

**Maybe if I had just looked away that first night you came towards me,  
everything would be different and my heart wouldn't be breaking right now.**

* * *

He turned his head to the side, every bit determined to ignore the ongoing conversation that was occurring right at the moment. He took a bite of the food on his plate and after another moment began to chew it.

The arguing was not beginning to stop and in fact it only seemed to get more heated with each passing moment. He distantly wondered if there was a particular reason as to why the Uzumaki family was such a bother. Ren couldn't help, but mentally face-palm himself as he heard the father daughter combo, continue to scream at each other. It wasn't even that they were mad at each other or anything, it was just they both spoke at such a volume that to a normal person it was at a level defined at 'scream.'

At of the corner of his eye, he glanced at the beautiful woman who was softly chewing her meal. She had a face that could be defined as nothing, but peaceful and serene. He honestly wondered if this entire family was insane. The twins were destroying their food in their attempts to thrust it down their throats and Kushina and the Hokage were having a shouting match about some topic that made no sense. And here was the mother of these demons acting like nothing was happening.

Ren honestly wondered how he managed to survive a week with these people.

He let out a sigh and took another bite out of the meal in front of them, which for a change was not revolved around ramen. Apparently Hinata determined that every few days the family would have a real dinner that did not involve ramen, that way they would actually get some nutrients in their bodies.

"Hey Ren! You agree with me right!" He turned to look at the fuming Kushina who was looking at him for approval.

He tried to even remember what the conversation was about, but came up empty handed.

"Hn." The grunt..every man's best chance to escape a situation.

"See! There you go Dad! Even Ren agrees with me!"

He wasn't surprised when the argument continued and he tried to draw his attention elsewhere. That something ended up to be just the food on his plate. Exciting yes? He inwardly groaned and for possibly the hundredth time that day wondered just how could have survived an entire week with this family. Of course it wasn't so bad with Mrs. Uzumaki, but the Hokage and his offspring were another story entirely. Kushina especially.

Despite spending nearly all his time with her, living with her was an entirely different story. Of course he knew almost every single trait that she possessed before this week, but he honestly could say that those such traits became exemplified when she was with you. It was more…

Annoying.

That was what Kushina was, a big pile of annoying. It didn't mean he liked her any less than before, since after all he knew that she was annoying back then too, but it just seemed different when she was right there beside you all the time.

"Ren?" He turned his head to where the beautiful wife of the Hokage was seated at the table.

"Are you okay?" she questioned with her head tilted to the side. Something that his mother always did when she asked him questions as well.

"Hn." He heard a snorting noise from nearby and turned to see Kushina smiling at his casual grunts that he placed in conversations. He found it ironic since just a minute before she had openly accepted his grunt as a symbol of agreement with her.

"Sakura should be returning today you know."

Ren glanced up at the Hokage who was grinning at him. Of course he knew that. He had been counting down the days and hours until his mother returned. Not that he would say that aloud. Kushina was already using the nickname "teme." He didn't need to add a permanent "mama's boy" to that as well. He could just imagine. "Hey Bastard Mama's Boy! How's it going?"

He tried to repress a shudder.

"Hn."

"Che, you know you should speak in more than one syllable words, Ren-chan." Ah, that stupid name. He turned his head to look at to the Hokage who obviously knew how to gain Ren's attention by using that suffix with his name. The Hokage grinned at him with a huge smile that surpassed Kushina's.

"Do you want to do me a favor Ren-chan?"

Ren only gave a glare as a return. His green eyes narrowed causing the bright color to take on a darker look.

"Okay then. Since you didn't answer me I'll take that as a yes! Now all I want you to do is run up to my office and grab the scroll that's on top of my desk, and then bring it back to me. K'? Easy enough, right Ren-chan!"

Ren was going to protest and then argue that the Hokage could very well do something that easy as well, but he knew that arguing wouldn't get him very far with the yellow haired man. After all Kushina was his offspring and since when he and Kushina got involved in a heated argument…they wouldn't be done for a while he assumed that the Hokage would be the same. Since after all neither was the type to give in.

Kushina always claimed in was her "nindo way." That as far as he was concerned was a big fat excuse as a way to bring up past arguments again and again and again.

He gave a slight grunt and rose from the table before he casually pushed in his chair and started towards the Hokage Office.

Before he made it out the door though the Hokage shouted some final words.

"The scrolls title is _Current Progress on Ninja Academy!_"

As he left the dining room, more loud and obnoxious sounds insured. He placed his hands in his pockets and made no effort to hurry to the office since after all it was located in the same building he was in now.

When he reached the entrance to the office he pushed the large doors open and immediately headed toward the desk present in the center of the room.

The second he looked down however he was not met with the sight of any scroll. A bunch of papers and empty ramen cups yes, but there was no scroll lying across the disarrayed table. Ren briefly glanced at the floor, but concluded that the idiot Hokage had led him on a goose chase.

Ren snorted and prepared to exit the room, when he noticed a huge cabinet filled with scrolls from top to bottom. He analyzed the situation, and decided he would rather sort through a few hundred scrolls for ten minutes than return to the Uzumaki family empty handed.

He quickly searched the titles and nothing to his surprise; it was not in any particular order. With a click of his tongue, he activated his Sharigan in order to quickly glance at all the titles as quickly as possible.

"_Current Missions, Nina Cho—_"

Boredom consumed him as he continued to look through all the titles. When his arm bumped into a chair, a litter of scrolls feel down and hit him on the head. He growled out a curse before roughly throwing the items back on the shelf. However he immediately stopped when he stumbled across one in particular.

春野サクラ, _Haruno Sakura_

His mother's name on a lone scroll made him pause.

Everything is on that piece of paper, he knows. All her past missions, her marriage certificate, her medical history…everything. And it was within his reach. Usually scrolls on individual ninja are kept in the archives, unless they are need for a particular reason.

It was his chance to learn about his father.

His hand reached out and grabbed the scroll, pulling it open without a second thought.

He was met with something unexpected. Instead of what he was prepared for, something else greeted his deactivated eyes.

He was ready to see his mother with her quiet smile, her emerald eyes holding a small sparkle in them while she smiled at a camera. Her long black hair would probably be kept in a pony tail like she always prepared it.

For a minute he believed he had the wrong person.

The girl shining a magnificent smile at the camera could obviously not be his mother. He had never seen such a wide smile ever grace his mothers face in all the years he had been with her. The smile he was looking at was filled with such happiness. His mother had never produced such a smile in front of him. NEVER.

And what was most incomprehensible to digest….was the color of this women's hair. Bright Pink. Hair that was short but let loose as it framed her face. The hair color though…

_Just like that picture in the attic. _

And despite what Ren thought…he knew that this woman was his mother…because two emerald orbs stared back at him. Only they sparkled with such a light that made him want to cry.

Because looking at this picture and knowing that this was his mother…made him realize just how unhappy she really was.

**Name: **Haruno Sakura

**Born: **March 28, 19XX

**Gender:** Female

**Age:** 25

Things clicked in his head.

_"You fight with the same style that you're father did, Ren."_

Kakashi's words from that day a few weeks ago. How he spoke like he knew his father to a great extent. The way it seemed like he had almost trained him.

**Height:** 162 cm

**Weight: **47 kg

**Blood Type: **O

**Classification: **Medical Nin

**Affiliation:** Konohagakure

**Team:** Team Kakashi

Kakashi had trained his mother…

_"Hokage-sama, did Kakashi use to be your teacher as well?"_

_"Yes, he did Ren." _

The Hokage's teacher as well…

**Ninja Registration: **012601

**Academy Grad. Age:** 12

**Chūnin Promotion: **14

That picture…

He knew know that the Hokage and his mother where the two in the picture and the third one…the one that looked exactly like Ren…

Kakashi had spoken like he had trained his father…

So then the man in the broken picture frame...his mother's teammate…

Was his father? It made perfect sense. Kakashi, his mother, and the Hokage had all known each other for years. The reason his mother was so close to the Hokage…the reason why Kakashi willingly trained Ren for so long…

They were all connected.

**Jōnin**** Promotion: **17

~**MIA (Missing in Action):** Haruno Sakura went missing at age 17 during mission  
shortly after promotion. She returned a year later at age 18. No charges or sentence was given.  
Date: May 15 –April 30

**ANBU Promotion: **21

**Clan: **Nai ichizoku (No Clan)

**Parents:** Deceased

**Spouses:** NONE

He paused. His mother had never been married. So he had been born out of wedlock. He knew it wasn't technically a bad thing in society. Especially with an occupation of ninja. But he was confused. His mother had been MIA. He knew she was eighteen when she gave birth to him, but the time frame didn't make sense. His father was obviously a member of Konoha, but it looked like he was conceived while she was missing.

It didn't make sense.

**Children: **Haruno Re—

The scroll was suddenly ripped out of his hands. In shock Ren stood at his empty hands before he looked up to be met with two eyes staring back down at him.

"What are you doing Ren?"

His mouth popped open in shock, something extremely rare for Ren and his pride to do. But the person standing in front of him was a surprise beyond belief.

"Nara-sensei!"

Nara Shikamaru looked Ren with eyes full of lazy, uninterested care. Ren felt embarrassed at being caught reading classified information, but mostly anger. He had been so close. There could have been the answers to everything he had wanted to know for the last few years of his life.

He had been so close to knowing more about his father.

"What are you doing in here Ren?" Shikamaru asked again.

Despite the anger and distress, Ren forced himself to answer.

"Hokage asked me to find a scroll."

"I don't believe that the scroll he wanted was on your mother. Was it?" Ren glared at the man standing in front of him.

"No…it was something about the Ninja Academy. It was supposed to be on the desk, but it wasn't there, so I tried to look for it." Shikamaru, completely unfazed from Ren's hot glare just merely gave a slight nod and proceeded to walked toward the door still carrying Sakura's scroll.

"I have it with me. Come on you shouldn't be in here Haruno."

Ren continued to glare at the man, before his eyes turned longingly toward the scroll with his mother's name on it. Shikamaru followed his line of vision and tucked the scroll into his Jōnin vest. Ren's eyes narrowed further.

Shikamaru was trying to keep something from him. And the more he thought about it, everyone seemed to being keeping secrets.

His mother, the Hokage, Kakashi…the entire village seemed to keep a secret hidden from Ren's ears. But if the secret had something to do with his father, and Ren was sure it did, then there was no way in hell that he would not try his hardest in order to discover just exactly was so important.

And he only had a few hours before he could rush off and ask his mother just exactly what he wanted to know. Only a few short hours.

**

* * *

**

**Walk home drowning these memories in the rain, biting my lip to transfer this pain, your gone and I'm still going through withdrawals, next time around I'll build a stronger wall.**

* * *

The two strangers looked back at Itachi. Their eyes were wide with shock and the annoying blonde one had her mouth hanging open as she kept taking large intakes of breath. Her finger was jutted out toward his face and his eyes almost went cross eyed as she pointed at him; her finger right between Itachi's eyes.

"Ren?"

She called that same name again, one that had no particular meaning to Itachi, but obviously held some significance to them from what he could tell by their reactions.

The guy with the purple markings on his face seemed just as shocked as the female. The animal which Itachi had previously sensed with him—a giant dog—actually seemed confused as well. It let out a small whimper as its gaze fell on Itachi and it gently bumped his head against the man beside him.

"Uh..Uh.." The man seemed puzzled for a moment before his eyes hardened. A kunai was placed back upon Itachi's neck.

"It's not Ren…" Itachi couldn't help but notice how the man's voice faded at the end in slight hesitation. The guy pushed his face closer to Itachi and took a breath in.

"Wait…it..Ren…uh…he smells like he spent a week out in the forest…but he still smells like Ren." The man, turned his head to the side to look at the dog, and when the creature gave him a slight nod of bushy head, the Kunai against Itachi's neck was removed.

He considered for a moment to try and bolt the hell out of there, but any thought of escape was removed when the blonde women frantically started screaming.

"A week? He's been out here for a week? What the hell where you thinking Ren? What is your mother going to think when she hears that you've been outside the village for the past week? Did you try and follow her on the mission or something! And why hasn't Naruto informed us about you being missing? Ren do you know how dangerous it is! You haven't even graduated from the academy yet!"

Itachi's eyes widen as the woman angrily grabbed his forearm and dragged him to his feet.

They didn't even give him a chance to try and explain that he was not this Ren and that he was not spying on them. And however this mother was, was not _his_ mother.

"Oh Kami! Look how dirty you are! Kiba damn it! Let's just take him to his mother, I'm sure she would rather receive him now then go to the village and learn that he has been missing for the past week."

Mother?

What?

The?

Fuck?

Was going on?

And who the hell was this Ren that these people kept shouting at? Where they blind or just stupid? Could they really not tell that he obviously wasn't this person?

"Sounds good enough for me. I can't wait to see some screaming, she is going to be so mad! Come on Ren, face it like a man!"

The man named Kiba, grabbed his arm that was not being tugged by the outrageously loud women and started to drag him across the ground back toward where they had originated. Ino, the blonde women, followed behind while rubbing her temple.

"Geez, I really wanted to go home and see Akiko and Arata."

For an hour Itachi was dragged by these people. His muscles were stiff and sore and he was beyond starving. After a while of his slow pace slowing the adults down, he was forced to sit atop the giant dog as they continued to sprint toward the north.

That terrified Itachi. Anywhere north, made him fearful of what could possibly be waiting for him. And despite knowing it truly impossible, but the prospect of his father with the eight pointed star in his eyes was such a terrifying thought that it made Itachi want to crumble to the ground and die right there.

He always wanted his father's attention, but he never wanted his father's fury to be directed at him. That was something Itachi feared more than anything. And if these Ninja (who despite clearly knowing they were not Sound Nin was still suspicious of them and how they kept calling him "Ren") dropped or sold him off back to Sound…he was screwed.

He would be forced to live the rest of his life in that captive place; never knowing what it was like to be loved.

So Itachi decided that the moment the opportunity arrived he would run and never look back. He would run and make a life for himself. He would find the people that would treat him well and make himself happy. He would find a woman just like the one in his dream, and call her mother.

Maybe he was desperate.

But none of that mattered. Right now he had to get away from these freaks.

"Geez, she is going to be so pissed. And she has been so jumpy to return home, it was pretty obvious that she wanted to go home back to Ren."

"Shut up Ino! We're only a few minutes away from the campsite."

Itachi figured that when these people met the 'she ' they kept talking about he would be given the best opportunity to run. His tired body tensed in preparation. He smelt the burning of wood and knew that the time was coming to run for his fucking life (quite possibly, if these people realized he was not "Ren.")

The forest suddenly opened up into a small clearing. Two tents were set up surrounding a smile pile of firewood that used to burn, but now was put out. The first thing he truly noticed was the man standing near the fire.

And his choice in fashion.

The man with mushroom styled hair, bushy eyebrows, bug eyes, and a bright green neon jump suit turned around upon their entrance. Itachi quietly slid off the large dog while the man smiled at him and charged. He flinched upon thinking he was going to be killed, but instead found himself lifted off the ground and being swung around in a circle.

"Ren-kun!"

Itachi's mouth popped open.

And he cursed myself for not taking my chance to escape. Now he was trapped in this crazy (more crazy than the other two) man's hug. Damn.

"Kiba, Ino! Why is Ren-kun here?"

The man stopped spinning lucky for Itachi, but did not let him out of his arms.

Kiba was the one that answered for a change. The blonde women seemed like she loved any chance to start talking.

"We found him about an hour from here. From his smell, he hasn't been in the village since we left on the mission." The bushy man let out a horrified gasp. "We decide to bring him here, so that Sa—"

"What is going on?"

Everything froze in time. Itachi couldn't breathe. He couldn't think. The only that held his mind captive was the fact that he had heard that voice before. Actually a lot before.

In his dreams.

"Sakura!"

_"Wait who are you? Don't go!"_

_"Aren't they beautiful?" _

_"What? What are you talking about?" _

_"The cherry blossoms silly!"_

Sakura…the dreams name…Sakura

It couldn't be. She was a part of his imagination. A person he created so that he wouldn't feel alone anymore. Someone that his subconscious mind made him up so he could feel like he was loved in this world. It was impossible.

His feet touched the ground as the green man released him, but he didn't even think about the possibility of escaping. His body turned as his eyes were met with some standing confusingly at the entrance to one of the tents. Both her eyes were close as she yawed and rubbed her eyes.

And Itachi was disheartened. She didn't have that pink hair he had dreamed of for so long. The hair color that suited her name so much. This was not her. He didn't even bother to look at her closer. No pink hair…

His eyes sunk low as his heart shattered in front of him.

It felt funny. He had gotten his hopes up without even allowing himself to.

"Look Sakura! We found Ren running around outside the village." Ino shouted.

The women with jet black hair immediately went rigid with fear. Itachi noticed the way her whole body looked as it would collapse underneath her. She looked so fragile.

However he too went rigid when he saw the woman's eyes pop open with fear blazing over them. From his distance and with is exceptional eyesight trained for every shinobi, he could tell the color of her eyes from anywhere.

They were his eyes.

The same eyes of the "Sakura" of his dreams.

And then he took notice of her face and how it looked just like the one in his dream. Everything from the curve of her noise to the side of her eyes to her slightly too large forehead. The only difference was this one looked a few years older. Other than that she was identical to his dream.

The women looked at him with fear, but it vanished within a millisecond. Her face turned into an expression of shock that matched his own. And when her mouth opened as her eyes took a new look of sadness and…hope…Itachi felt like the world would explode.

"I-It…Itachi."

And it did.

**

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**

**I've been through this pain before I've even cried these tears before but to get you back, I'd go through so much more.**

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:) I sorry?

No more long waits I promise though! Never AGAIN!

I had a lot of problems with getting the POV right, I kept going back to first POV instead of third...lol...I haven't written a chapter for this in so long.

**Next Update: ****My Best Friend's Imouto Chapter 4 (End)**

~Halfkyuubikat~


	14. Chapter 12

A/N: The Next Chapter.

Sorry for the slight (-cough-long-cough-) delay, my computer was eaten by a hungry virus…and then much to my surprise (not) this was the story that lost all the data. Then I got another virus and guess what? I had to get a new computer. I refuse to read Manga online ever again.

-sighs-

And after that I have no excuse.

I was just lazy. Plus Itachi's chapter was giving me ulcers. Seriously...so I crapped out on it. Lol, sorry.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Naruto.

**Beta:** Not yet. Sorry for Mistakes

**

* * *

**

**Now that I have loved so purely and deeply,**  
**I have realized how lonely I really am.**

* * *

Itachi felt frozen in place, unable to move an inch. If it wasn't for the natural instinct that forced him to breathe he probably would be as still as stone. The shock was still prominent in his body and from where he watched the woman with black hair that called him by his name, she looked just as shell-shocked.

In fact as his peripheral vision took in the faces of the rest of the crowd, they all seemed to have the same lack of understanding. They all looked at him with wide eyes that seemed unsure of what to do in the situation that had presented itself.

Itachi could only know one thing.

This woman who was standing in front of him, despite the black hair, despite how she looked years older, was the same woman that haunted his dreams. The same woman he had seen by the cherry blossom tree, the same woman that whispered words of kindness to him, and the same woman in that nightmare that his father had stabbed through the chest.

A shiver spread through his body, as the silence finally broke.

"_What? _Sakura...what are you—wha—" The blonde woman spoke again, her voice at even a higher pitch than before.

All chaos broke at once.

"What do you mean by I-Itachi?"

"Shit! I knew he smelt different! Why didn't I think—"

"He does seem...different than Ren."

"It's him! Oh my god!...Oh my god! Sakura—"

Through the ciaos, Itachi realized that it seemed that all of them knew the name Itachi. It seemed that is name held some kind of meaning for them all and that was the reason they were all going into cardiac arrest. Yet, if they knew his name why had they repeatedly called him Ren?

And how did they all know his name as well?

"How do you know my name?"

He didn't bother addressing the rest of the group, his eyes were only for the woman named Sakura. And it seemed that her eyes were only for him.

It was emerald clashing with emerald.

And for Itachi nothing else seemed to matter. He didn't really know anything about these people or this woman. He knew absolutely nothing and yet for the first time ever in his life, he felt like he had finally come home.

**XxXxXxX**

He wondered quietly about the reason that Sakura had forced her group to allow her to speak with Itachi alone. When he had been seized rather quickly by the one with the red markings on his face, she hadn't protested. Her eyes had widened some, but she had remained quiet otherwise. It has seemed the group had wanted to discuss something as the man forcefully dragged him into a nearby tent and quickly threw him inside.

Itachi had managed to let out a weak protest, as for the first time he actually felt threatened by these unknown ninja. However the man replied with a brief "We won't hurt ya," before he momently disappeared outside the tent, leaving the flap wide open.

Unfortunately for Itachi, before he could twitch a finger toward escape he heard the man say "Inside" before the giant dog from before walked inside and sat down directly in front of the exit. A quick 'Zip' signified the closing of the entrance.

He still heard the voices though.

"Wha-what are you doing?" He recognized the soft voice immediately as the one from his dreams. She seemed to be in a frantic state and he heard a quiet squabble before the high pitched female from before answered.

"Sakura, what if it's a trap? You need to think about this!"

"Get off me Ino—"

And then before anything else could be heard all noises suddenly cut off. The only thing to reach Itachi's ears was the dog's panting breaths and his own erratic heartbeat. The heavy silence made it aware to Itachi that the tent had been sent with some kind of Silence Jutsu. It was obvious that whatever conversation was going to take place outside, the Ninja wanted Itachi to have nothing to do with it.

Itachi remained in the silence forever to his point of view. Perhaps it was only ten minutes or perhaps he was there for days, it would be impossible for him to tell with the way his mind was jumbled up. He kept trying to think, but nothing would actually stick in his head. His heartbeat never went down, no matter how much time passed.

The large dog that shared Itachi's breathing space did not move from its position. However Itachi did notice that whenever he glanced toward the beast, its tail would rapidly move back and forth. For some reason or another, Itachi believed that it was waiting for him to give it some kind of affection. It seemed almost confused and hurt each time Itachi only stared.

Time continued to pass and eventually Itachi felt like he was going to implode. He wanted to know. He wanted to see that woman again. He wanted to understand everything.

And yet he was stuck here waiting, until suddenly the noise from the outside suddenly turned back on.

"Sakura, think abou—"

"No! I'm done thinking Ino! I know it is dangerous, but—" there was another quick 'Zip' noise and a tender breeze filled the tent, "tell me this Ino, could you be saying all this if it was Akiko or Arata—Kiba will you call Akamaru?—Could you Ino!"

It was quiet for a short moment. Then a quiet murmur of defeat was heard and someone whistled the next second. The large dog quickly sprung up—causing the tent to tremble—before he turned and leapt out of the tent.

"Thank you." Sakura's earnest reply was whispered in the wind.

Then her head appeared inside the tent. Her hair was in disheveled ponytail and there was sweat sliding down her face. Yet there was a warm, yet careful smile on her face as she slowly lifted her hand up. It took him a few moments to realize that she was offering her hand to him and that he should place his hand in hers.

When he touched her hand with his fingers he quickly noticed that is was not soft like his. It was rough and calloused and when he looked closer he realized there were what appeared to be burn marks littering the skin from the tip of her fingers all the way to her palm. With a quick glance to her side, he noticed her other hand was in no better condition.

Her hand quickly squeezed his and without warning she quickly helped him out of the tent. She did not release his hand once he was standing in the fresh air.

"I know you." It slipped out before Itachi could even think about what he was saying. It seemed that the small sentence however was enough to once again quiet the gathered Ninja, who all were looking quite surprised about what he had said.

Sakura though only stared at him for a few moments.

And then she whispered quietly back to him.

"I know."

**XxXxXxX**

They walked for a while.

The silence never broke and Itachi wondered if she would ever speak or if this pregnant silence would remain between them forever.

But Itachi didn't want that.

He wanted answers and so without formal thought about what he was stuttering out he asked the question that was swimming in his brain.

"Are you…A-Are you my mother?"

Itachi looked at her, embarrassed and so hopeful that he knew if he did not receive the answer he wanted it would crush him. He would not recover and he cursed himself for allowing his heart to be so involved when he did know whether this was his mother.

But it felt like he knew _her_.

So he waited for the words; his eyes meeting hers in a desperate plea.

"Yes, I am." Her words broke at the end, but her face was alit with such happiness that it nearly stopped Itachi's breath. She smiled at him and motioned her arms forward and he realized that she wanted to hug him.

It was a moment he had waited his entire life for and he wanted it so badly that it nearly killed him on the spot. He wanted to reach her though; reach for his mother. And so he took the first step toward her.

And her eyes flickered to the woods in the same second that something came into contact with his left cheek bone, propelling him to the side with the force of the blow. He grabbed his new injury and let his ninja survival skills take over. He suddenly felt another presence in the direct area of where he and Sakura were located and the chakra being emitted from that person was extremely hostile. Another pain irrupted in his lower back.

Itachi quickly prepared for a fight as he heard the thumping of a person's approaching footsteps. However before he could battle, a voice called forth.

"Ren, stop it!"

That name again.

His body was in pain but his instincts told him to turn around and face what was attacking him. And when he whirled on the balm of his heel, he stood face to face with himself.

Except the eyes that were staring back at him were glowing red.

**

* * *

**

**You always say you hate to see me hurt,**  
**and you hate to see me cry.**  
**So all those times that you hurt me,**  
**did you close your eyes?**

* * *

It was taking too long.

His mother still had not returned even though she should have been home early this morning. Ren had asked the Hokage about it and the simple reply he was rewarded with was something about 'having a good time.'

Whatever that was referring to was making Ren even edgier.

Since the time he had glanced at his mother's scroll, the questions in his mind would not stop revolving. They wouldn't calm down.

He hadn't slept through the night in peace since he she left and since he discovered the scroll, he had barely managed to close his eyes for more than thirty minutes. There were too many lies and questions unanswered for him to sleep.

And now the moment he had been waiting for was supposed to be delayed? How was he supposed to wait even a few moments? He had waited more time in his life than any person alone should have to. He had grown without answers, without a father, without a complete life.

He was done with it.

"Ren."

Ren didn't bother to stop pacing around the room; Kushina's presence didn't change anything in his emotional status.

"Hey Ren!" He felt a small hand grab his wrist and tug harshly to make Ren stop moving. He slowly turned to look at his friend's face who was staring at him with her big lavender-blue eyes looking at him with slight worry.

"Hn." His throat got a little drier when Kushina brought her face closer to his own.

"I'm sure she'll be here soon."

Was it strange that the thing Ren noticed the most was that despite her constant eating of ramen, her breath smelled like lavender?

The only noise Ren was able to force out was a strangled grunt.

His breath hitched when Kushina awkwardly wrapped her arms around his waist and gave a quick, comforting squeeze before she pulled abruptly away with her usual grin spread across her face. Placing her hands together and fumbling with her two pointer fingers she jumped slightly in front of him.

"Are you excited about Ayako moving here permanently? It's been so long since she visited; and now that her, Asuma, and the new baby are staying—isn't it great!—I've missed her, haven't you? I know that you enjoy the fact that she doesn't fangirl over you all the—Oh! That's right! I still owe her the five dollars for predicting—"

"Kushina, Shut it."

Her face blanched momentarily, before it lit with a fire that was becoming increasingly familiar to the young Haruno. Her face puckered in distaste while her eyes smoldered underneath her strange colored eyes. However soon, she huffed out a breath that was a mixture of anger and defeat.

"I was rambling again, wasn't I?" She said from underneath her bright blonde bangs.

"Aa."

Apparently Ren's grunted reply pissed the Uzumaki more because she loudly stomped her foot against the wood before turning around with another huff of air and disappeared out of the door. However no more than a few seconds later, her bright hair reappeared as she poked her head back into Ren's temporary bedroom.

A smile flashed passed her cheeks that were tinted an almost unnoticeable red (from which Ren assumed was a side effect of her temper tantrum).

"I swear on my future as the Hokage that your Mother will be here soon. So stop pacing, I can hear it from my room down the hall, Mama's Boy."

And with that she disappeared, her footsteps padding down the hall in the direction of her own room. When Ren went to shut his door, he barely missed the outraged shout of "Jiraiya? What the hell are you doing?"

Ren closed the door quickly before he heard more of the siblings sure to be fight. Walking over to the bed, he sat down on it as Ren thought for a few moments on something other than his mother.

Ayako was returning to Konoha from Suna permanently. And although Ren was a little excited over the fact she would be coming to Konoha, if it hadn't been for Ayako's father visiting to announce the news, Ren would have been able to finish reading his mother's scroll. Instead the lazy man had to take it from him.

And now he was stuck waiting for the answers.

Because Ayako was coming home.

And his mother STILL wasn't home yet.

A growl passed Ren's lips as he placed his head in his hands, clutching the fine hairs of his bangs. This was more frustrating than anything. It was like he could taste the answers to his past and yet he was stuck in this suffocating room waiting for her.

Ren was never one for patience.

And he decided as he casually stood up and opened the door to the bedroom, that he was done waiting. Done waiting for the answers. He was going to seek them out himself.

**XxXxX**

It didn't take him long to pick up her team's location. They were closer to the village than he would have expected. The tents were being packed up by the other Anbu as a tense silence filled the air around the small clearing. Ren stayed extremely quiet as his red eyes searched for his mother's chakra signature. It only took a few short minutes to conclude that she was not with the others.

"Kiba...do you think?..Ah—I mean—Hm...Should we have gone with her?"

Ren's eyes moved toward the blonde woman who was stuttering toward Kiba Inuzuka. Ren immediately recognized her high voice and bright hair as his mother's best friend. She looked concerned and lightly switched her body weight between feet.

Kiba glanced up from where he was folding a tent, Akamaru by his side, and glanced in the direction of the woods. His eyes narrowed darkly for a moment, before he turned back toward Ino.

"No, she'll be fine. She can take care of herself...and even if that...if its bad news, she'll...be fine. Even if the kid has...I mean...She needs this Ino. We all know how much his loss has affected her."

"Yeah...I-I know. I'm still worried though."

Both of them turned back toward the woods, before Ino spoke with a stronger voice. Confidence dripped from her tone.

"Sakura's stronger now."

Ren listened more intently upon hearing his mother's name and waited for the conversation to continue, but only silence returned as the camp was disassembled and all traces of the ninja erased. Ren's eyes flickered toward the woods that Kiba and Ino had looked toward when they spoke of Sakura.

From their body actions and shifting eyes, Ren knew this was the way that his mother must have traveled down. He couldn't understand the reasoning for her to go off deeper in the forest when it was obvious the rest of the team was preparing to leave.

His red eyes glance once again to the departing ninjas, before only the darkness of trees and the animals hidden in it were aware of the ninja's presence. Only the trees would hear the next words spoken.

"How do we explain this to the Hokage? How do we explain this to _Ren?_"

**XxXxX**

When he first sensed her chakra with his Sharigan, the relief flowed through him.

It was only seconds after that relief passed his system that confusion followed. Another chakra pattern was located right next to his mother.

She was not alone.

Suddenly the talk of his mother's ability to take care of herself became so much more important.

'_What if their trying to hurt her?'_

It didn't occur to him that Sakura's team would never allow her to freely walk off with an unknown party that might endanger her life. The only clear thought that was able to process in his mind was that his mother needed him.

His chakra was pushed through the soles of his feet much faster than he was used to. It almost caused a burning sensation from the force he was exerting on the tree branches. He only stopped when he was nearly on top of the two chakra signatures. Ren deactivated his sharigan and glanced down past the branches and leaves with two green orbs.

The scene before him left him silenced.

His mother was standing in the woods with her arms outstretched before her in a way of offering. The way she always opened her arms to full lengths so that Ren knew he was welcomed to her. That was the offering of her embrace.

A smile was dancing upon her face.

A smile that she had never directed at Ren. A smile that was not fake and did not hold a tint of sorrow; it was a smile of pure, unadulterated love.

And it was not directed at **him**.

No, it was directed toward an imposter.

A person that had taken the shape of Ren. A person who no doubt had ill-intentions toward his mother. And yet despite the fact his mother was Anbu, she couldn't even realize that the creature she was standing before was not her son.

Something inside Ren snapped.

Because someone who was merely posing as him had somehow managed to make his mother smile in a way that was so exuberant, Ren realized that she had never smiled **that** smile before. There was no traces of pain and sorrow. There was nothing that remotely resembled the mother who had raised him.

The faraway look that was always present in her emerald eyes was gone.

Instead she was focused totally on one thing.

The disgusting clone.

And there was no way Ren would ever allow for such a mangy, pathetic being to steal his mother from him.

His sharigan activated.

The thing was only able to take one step toward Ren's mother before Ren was beside him. He heard a slight gasp come from his mother before he threw his fist into the cheek bone of the enemy. The clone fell to the side slightly and grasped his injury with the side of his hand.

Ren was slightly surprised not to hear the 'poof' that was associated with the dispelling of henji. Obviously he had underestimated the strength that the clone possessed.

He would change that soon enough.

Throwing his leg forward, Ren managed to land a perfectly placed kick to the bastard's lower back. Still the henji remained in place.

Ren's anger grew.

And without regards to the world around him, he charged forward; fully intent on killing the imposter if he needed to protect his mother.

"Ren, stop it!"

He spun around to face his mother, who was running toward him. It didn't take long for Ren to realize that she was trying to **protect** the imposter.

He turned around to face the person that was keeping his mother from him. The clone's eyes were wide in shock as they stared back at Ren.

And Ren let his hatred destroy.

**

* * *

**

You always have an out. An exit strategy to make sure you don't get hurt. You always walk, always. You walk away before they can walk away from you.

* * *

The bar was crowded and overflowing with drunken men that brought forth a prudent smell into the cramped room. It was dimly lit and it was hard to distinguish one man from the other, but his eyes still found his target the moment he walked into the room.

He stayed quiet; only ordered a beer and sat in the far corner. His hood covered his eyes that glowed red in the pitch black. Even though he could hear the men from where he sat, reading the words on their lips was more functional.

They were discussing something; a future plan to try and gain an upper hand against a rival village, but it didn't concern him. He was listening for different information.

"So you understand what I need you to do?"

"Yeah. Infiltrate the home; capture the girl…when would be the best time for this?"

"Early morning. Remember that she is more important than just the daughter of the village leader. She has special blood in her veins as well. Her mother's clan is very prestigious and is known for their power; make no mistakes."

"What if I can't get the girl? She has siblings right? Do I get one of them?"

"No, she is the only one that has activated her Kekkei Genkai. You can't take one of her twin brothers; it has to be her."

"Alright. The pay?"

"15,000 for her alive."

"Got it."

The man stood quickly and walked toward the exit of the bar; smiling at the thought of his soon to be earned money. Pushing his empty glass aside and then throwing the appropriate amount of cash on the table, the red eyed man followed him.

**XxXxXxX**

Blood sprayed the walls of the alley as a gargled choke escaped the man's throat. Then all noise and movement ceased. The man had barley put up a fight. Pathetic to be called a ninja.

The chakra of another appeared behind him, but he didn't have to turn around to know that his companion had arrived.

"Wow, you did a number on that guy. Guess he didn't have the information we are looking for?"

"Aa."

He looked back down at the blooded mess of the man he had just killed. His face was twisted toward him and the moonlight caused the skin to glow an eerie silver. The light flickered across the man's upper face.

It was then he noticed the dull green eyes that stared back at him.

He turned away quickly. Suigestsu called after him for a moment, before the dead silence of the night filled the air. He was alone again; just like he always was.

**

* * *

**

**You and I are inevitable, you're all that makes me happy but if you break my heart again, it will destroy me.**

* * *

For those of you that didn't realize, Sasuke inadvertently saved Kushina from being kidnapped. Yay Sasuke!

I hope I'm forgiven. I even added some RenXKushina fluff to lessen the anger directed toward me...did it work?

Review and/or check out all the other stories that have been updated?

**(updates)**

~Never Alone (Chapter 12) -done-

~Always Alone (Chapter 4) -done-

~The Darkest Knight (Chapter 3) -in progress-

~My True Love's Kiss (Chapter 2)

~The Captured Uchiha Matriarch (Chapter 1) -in progress-

~Motherhood (Chapter 1)

~Sakura's Accumulation of Epic Fails (Chapter 3)

~Surviving Death (Chapter 3) -done-

~My Father's Mistress (Chapter 1)

~The Only (Chapter 2)


	15. Author's Note: Hiatus

To all my readers and others of the community,

Hi everyone.

As you probably have noticed I have not been active on this site in a while and as of now I will be taking an **official hiatus** from my stories here.

I'd like to apologize, because when I first joined this site I loved writing for writing. I loved my stories and I loved sitting down and writing them. Writing helped bring me out of depression. I wrote fanfiction because I loved it not because readers wanted it. These days the only urge I have left to write is because of all the supporters I have, but I feel like there is no heart left to my stories here. I don't feel like you deserve that.

Because of that I want to take time to reflect and find my love for writing once again. I'm not giving up on writing, I want to focus on my own original stories and my new interest in other places. I am not abandoning these stories; there will not be a "discontinued" that marks them.

However, I also understand there are many people who like my stories and who very much want to see them completed and not some years down the road. Because of that, if there is anyone who is potentially interested in taking over a story of mine you may PM to discuss it with me. If you are willing to make the commitment I will help you in any way possible (giving you notes, helping you understand my characterizations, my layout of the story, etc.) but in the end it will be YOURS to create. This is hard for me to do, but I know that there are people who can give the care to my stories that I can't give any longer. One of my kindest friends has already offered to take over **The Only** and **My Father's Mistress** and I humbly thank her once again.

Thank you all so much for your love and appreciation of my very lacking writing skills. This is where I began as a writer and I will never, ever forget that. Without a doubt, even if it is a few years down the road I will complete all my stories that have been started here.

Thank you all again. I love you very much.

~halfkyuubikat


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